A few more people took advantage of the free New Years Eve bus service this year than in 2009.
But the 716 riders is the second lowest tally since 1992.
The highest usage was 1,239 in 2006. The drop in ridership since then has been attributed to the fewer big New Year’s Eve dinner-dances than in the past with more people holding home parties.
The steady drop in population has also undoubtedly been a factor.
With long term supporter Eurocan out of the picture this time around, the smelter’s union CAW 2301 and Bechtel - they are working on the smelter modernization project - stepped into the gap, joining Rio Tinto Alcan and Methanex as sponsors.