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Local company will buy bus passes for veterans

A local company will buy bus passes for veterans. Ontera, the newest incarnation of ONTelcom, will provide at least 50 one-year bus passes for veterans of World War II and the Korean War who are 72 or older.
A local company will buy bus passes for veterans.
Ontera, the newest incarnation of ONTelcom, will provide at least 50 one-year bus passes for veterans of World War II and the Korean War who are 72 or older.

Walter van Norden, marketing director for Ontera, said Mayor Vic Fedeli had approached the company with the proposal.

"It fit with our corporate mandate that we want to be able to recognize this, and when Mayor Fedeli presented us with the opportunity we were only too happy to get involved," van Norden said.

"We want to be involved in the community and have a presence in the community."

Van Norden said the passes would also be a good way to help recognized the sixtieth anniversary of the end of WW II, which occurrs next year.

He also said the company will look at sponsoring the passes again next year.

City council's Community Services Committee had already turned down a request from a North Bay resident to provide bus passes to war veterans.

The committee, which approved Ontera's offer at tonight's meeting, recommended the matter be forwarded to Veterans Affairs Canada.

Council will vote on the matter in two weeks time.