All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Principal System

International Transit Company (30 March 1903 - 31 October 1941>)
Incorporated by Ontario letters patent 22 May 1888 as the Sault Sainte Marie Electric Light and Transit Company. renamed 1901 to ITCo. Through many sales and reorganizations, ITCo was associated corporately with Sault Ste. Marie's principal industrial conglomerate. Immediate parent companies included Lake Superior Power Company (until 1912), Algoma Steel Corporation (1912-1916), Great Lakes Power Company (1916-1931), and Great Lakes Power Company Limited (after 1931). In 1903 ITCo acquired the ferry service across to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, where streetcars were operated by a sister subsidiary. (Wilson says the last day of streetcar service was 31 October 1942). (photos: City of Sault Ste. Marie; Maritime History of the Great Lakes).

system logo

Data source:

Wilson (logo)

Algoma Steel Corporation (1941 - 1960?)
Operator of successor bus service to the ITCo street railway. (TJ December 1941).

Steel City Coach Lines, Ltd. (1960 - 1963)
(RS)

Wawa-Soo Bus Service (1963 - 1980)
(RS).

Two Cities Transit Company Ltd. (circa 1960s?)
(Scrafton et al. 1970, Dawes et al. 1972). Acquired by Charterways Transportation Limited circa October 1966 (Canadian Coach 1966, Transit Canada 1975). Perhaps contract operation for the SSMTComm .

Sault Ste. Marie Transit (circa 1964 - present)
Operated under the authority of the Sault Ste. Marie Transportation Commission. (RS, Dawes et al. 1972, Canadian Coach 1974, Transit Canada 1975, CUTA 1976-77, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992, photos: William A. Luke, W.E. Miller [Peter Cox collection], Dennis Cavanagh).

International Bridge Bus (2004? - 19 March 2020)
Frequent local bus service between Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Quoting the website: “The Bridge Bus is funded with transit funds from the Michigan Department of Transportation. In addition, funding is received from the International Bridge Administration, Lake Superior State University, Sault College, the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The Bridge Bus is operated under a contract through the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan by the Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac Community Action Human Resource Authority.” (website 2009, website 2017) Was still operating in 2019 but was discontinued early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Modes

References

• Wilson, Dale, “International Transit Company”, Chapter 3 of Algoma Rails, Nickel Belt Rails, 2009, pp. 59–69.