travellinkA group of over 20 employment-related organizations in the district are working together to make inroads in transportation along the Highway 17 East corridor.

Officials with the Employment Services Table say a lack of transportation in some areas has long been recognized as a barrier to employment in the Nipissing District.

That need has led to a new pilot transportation program called Nipissing Travellink.

It will connect riders from Mattawa to the City of North Bay and all points in between.

$100,000 in funding is coming from the Ministry of Transportation for the pilot project, which could be in place in September.

One of the many organizations that were able to secure funding for the grant is the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board.

“This is an outstanding example of how various community partners have worked together to address a need that falls out of any specific jurisdiction, yet have made something positive happen through collaboration,” says DNSSAB Chair Mark King.

Information and data collected through the pilot program will be used to evaluate and confirm the transportation need and help officials decide if it should continue.