Squamish – Starting Tuesday, September 4, bus riders in Squamish will benefit from the introduction of two new transit routes, which will improve service to Garibaldi Village and Quest University.

“We are committed to making BC Transit service more convenient and accessible, including adding new routes where possible,” said Parliamentary Secretary Bowinn Ma on behalf of Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Claire Trevena. “I expect students and other transit users in Squamish will be happy with this improved access to the university and Garibaldi Highlands.”

The new route 9 Quest University will connect downtown Squamish with Quest University, providing hourly trips on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. It will also serve Brennan Park Recreation Centre and Garibaldi Village via Buckley, Queens Way and Government Road.

The current route 4 Tantalus will be renamed 4 Garibaldi and reroute to connect Tantalus and Garibaldi Village with downtown Squamish more directly, via the Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99). The route will provide weekday express service during peak travel times.

To improve service reliability, there will also be a few minor adjustments to the following routes:

• Route 1 Brackendale will now travel on Highway 99 between Brennan Park Recreation Centre and Garibaldi Village
• Route 2 Highlands will now serve Garibaldi Village via Mamquam and Diamond Head, with the new route 9 Quest University providing service along Government Road between Mamquam and Garibaldi Way

“These enhancements are part of our continued mission to provide affordable alternatives to the car for our entire community, especially for our youth and senior population,” said Patricia Heintzman, District of Squamish Mayor. “It is our hope that by increasing frequency on the core network and providing an express service, we will further stimulate transit ridership and ensure all residents can conveniently commute to school, work or wherever their day may take them.”

“At BC Transit, we work closely with our local government partners to offer transit service that meets the evolving needs of each community we serve,” said Erinn Pinkerton, BC Transit Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. “We’re pleased to announce the launch of these two new Squamish routes, which will improve service for university students, and make it easier and more efficient for people to travel between downtown and Garibaldi Village.”

All changes are possible thanks to the addition of 1,160 new service hours and one new bus to the Squamish Transit System, and are funded through the partnership between the Province of British Columbia, the District of Squamish and BC Transit.

For transit routes and schedules in Squamish, and to access NextRide to plan your trip online and find out where your bus is in real-time, please visit bctransit.com/squamish.