A Thunder Bay city councillor wants two historic trolley buses to stay protected inside the transit garage.

Thunder Bay’s historic trolleys

  • About a decade ago, two buses were brought from Vancouver, and restored in Thunder Bay.
  • The buses were built at Can Car starting in 1945. Can Car built the trolleys in the city of Fort William for about 10 years.
  • Many transit services in Canadian cities had Brill buses at some point, including the cities of Port Arthur and Fort William.
  • One of the historic trolleys was painted in Port Arthur’s colours (burgundy and cream), and the other was painted in Fort William’s colours (red and white).
  • The city has until late 2013 to figure out where to store the Brill coaches.

The Brill Buses — used on city streets decades ago — are taking up space that may be needed when the city takes over HAGI transit.

Councillor Paul Pugh said storing them outside would be an insult to those who built and restored the coaches. He added the bus drivers’ union should be consulted.

"This report will have gone back to at least to the ATU members and ask them for suggestions on what can be done with these buses,” he said.

“[That way] we can have something other than just parking them outside in the weather."

The city has no permanent site to display the old coaches — neither of which has a motor. The buses were powered by aerial trolley lines.