SGI has decided to suspend its annual “Wing in the New Year” program this year due to COVID-19.
Spokesman Tyler McMurchy says even with COVID-19 resulting in a very different New Year’s Eve, people need to have safe options in place.
“We do encourage people, if for whatever reason they do find themselves outside of their home on New Year’s Eve, and having consumed impairing substances, that they still use one of many options to find a safe ride home,” said McMurchy. “There’s never a good reason to drive impaired.”
The free transit program has run for more than three decades in Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, and Prince Albert. This is the first time in its history that service has been suspended.
McMurchy says other options include a designated driver, calling someone for a ride, a taxi, ridesharing, or simply just staying over at someone’s house.
He adds the decision to suspend the 2020 service was a tough one, but SGI is confident ‘Wing in the New Year’ will be back in 2021.
“This is very much a temporary measure, just a reflection of the situation we’re in,” said McMurchy. “We are very optimistic that next year, we’ll be able to resume, and in the meantime, we really hope people continue to consider all the different ways that they could not drive impaired. And there’s certainly never a good reason to drive impaired.”
