GOST bus agreement extended until Aug. 31

WELLINGTON NORTH – The City of Owen Sound will continue to partner with Wellington North on transportation services until at least Aug. 31, and provincial funding for the service has been confirmed until that date. 

The Guelph to Owen Sound Transit (GOST) bus runs on Highway 6 twice per day between Guelph and Owen Sound, making stops in Mount Forest, Arthur, Fergus, Elora, Chatsworth, Williamsford and Durham. 

Wellington North has partnered with Owen Sound since 2018 on the inter-community bus service, and the agreement has been renewed twice already. 

Owen Sound is in charge of orchestrating the service, in partnership with Voyago transportation company.

The bulk of Wellington North’s responsibility is to maintain bus stops at 136 Elgin St. in Mount Forest and 156 George St. in Arthur. 

Councillor Sherry Burke called the GOST bus “a valuable service that we offer our residents that need transit to get to and from appointments.”

She asked whether the partnership was set to continue after Aug. 31. 

Township economic development officer Robyn Mulder said she couldn’t provide a definite answer, but “historically we can see that this agreement has continued on, so ... all I can think is that it will continue, especially with the fantastic ridership they are getting.” 

In 2025 a total of 4,367 rides began or ended in Mount Forest or Arthur, Mulder said, which works out to be about 364 rides per month. 

It costs $10 for a one-way trip between Mount Forest and Guelph, and $5 between Arthur and Guelph. 

Mayor Andy Lennox said Wellington County is discussing inter-community transit with Grey, Bruce and Dufferin counties, and “this GOST bus has been part of that discussion.”

The four counties partnered with Saugeen Mobility and Regional Transit late last year to launch a feasibility study, which included a public survey and three open houses.

According to a Wellington County press release, the study will  identify suitable routes and service levels as well as fare strategies and cost structures. 

Dillon Consulting Limited is set to present study outcomes to county council this summer. 

Lennox said there is wide acceptance that the GOST bus is well used and should continue, and that “the City of Owen Sound would like to share the challenges that go with this service, and other costs, so I think discussion is going on about how to do that.”

There is demand for the service, Lennox said, so “hopefully we can find a combination of provincial support and collaboration with other counties.”