It's makes that claim in a letter to the Rainy River District School Board in response to one sent by chair Mike Lewis over Iron Range Bus Lines' decision not to travel Hwy 502 this winter and concerns that a similar decision could be made over the use of Hwy 622 near Atikokan.
Lewis says without the link from Atikokan to Highway 17, Atikokan High School teams would likely cease because of the extra travel costs incurred by taking alternative routes to places like Red Lake and Sioux Lookout.
Education Director Heather Campbell says Iron Range's decision not to use Hwy 502 also means increases cost for Fort Frances High teams and more time away from schools because of the extra time taken by traveling Highway 71 instead.
The Ministry does state it's spoken with Transfield Services, the contractor responsible for winter road maintenance in this region, who has deployed a grader to reduce snow pack on Highway 502.
Campbell says Iron Range is monitoring the condition of the highway on a day-to-day basis.
