Larry and Lorna Hundt, founders of Great Canadian Holidays & Coaches, are stepping back after more than four decades in the business. They are selling their interests as part of a new ownership deal that brings Tisdale Bus Lines under the same investment group.
Both companies will continue operating under their own names and brands, and no staffing changes are planned.
The Hundts, who launched the company in 1983 with a single bus, said it was time to reduce their involvement.
“We will remain as partners in the business, but our involvement will be dramatically reduced,” they wrote in a Facebook post. “It’s time to let our amazing, capable team take over the reins.”
As part of the transition, longtime employee Caroline Ravazzolo was named general manager of coaches, and the couple’s daughter Michelle Hundt Tupman will serve as general manager of holidays.
The Hundts thanked employees, clients, and suppliers for decades of support, calling them “family” and the backbone of Great Canadian’s 42-year history.
Bigger, more diversified operation
The Facebook announcement coincided with a news release from WeShall Investments, KCM Holdings and Second Bite Capital confirming they had acquired and consolidated Great Canadian with Tisdale Bus Lines.
The deal creates a larger, more diversified operator in Ontario’s bus and motorcoach industry, combining Great Canadian’s reach in Greater Toronto and Southwestern Ontario with Tisdale’s network in Northern Ontario.
“Great Canadian and Tisdale share strengths that, together, will create something bigger than the sum of their parts,” said Wes Hall, founder and executive chairman of WeShall Investments. “This is about more than a transaction; it’s about creating long-term value and laying the foundation for a stronger future in Canadian transportation.”
Larry Hundt, a former United Motorcoach Association board member and a longtime industry advocate, positioned the company as both a transportation provider and a cultural ambassador.
Great Canadian began as Travel Ventures in 1984 before rebranding in the late 1990s with the Great Canadian name and a fleet of bright blue buses decorated with Canadian-themed artwork.
The company expanded to become one of Ontario’s leading motorcoach and tour operators, carrying thousands of passengers annually on holidays, school trips, charters and contracts.
In 1998, the company introduced its now-iconic mascot, Corporal Mackenzie, alongside bold exterior graphics that became a hallmark of its identity.
60-year history
Tisdale Bus Lines, founded in 1965 by Joe Adamo, has long served Northern Ontario and has hubs in South Porcupine, Sudbury and North Bay. The company built its reputation on reliability in a region where vast distances and harsh winters demanded safe, dependable transportation.
Tisdale’s modern fleet includes 56-passenger motorcoaches and 24-passenger mini-buses. Its services range from charters and school transport to employee shuttles for mining operations and post-secondary institutions.
In recent years, the company expanded into Northwestern Ontario, filling service gaps left by other operators and demonstrating adaptability in a competitive market.
“This is a very positive and promising next step for Tisdale as part of a broader and intentional strategy to align with other high-performing operators within a shared platform,” owner Felix Lopes Jr. said.
Lopes Jr., who purchased Tisdale Bus Lines in June 2018, sold his controlling interest and will remain a shareholder in Fortress Coach Partners.
Fortress Coach Partners acquired Tisdale Bus Lines and Great Canadian Coaches simultaneously.
Jason Hallett, vice president of operations at Tisdale Bus Lines, has joined the ownership group.
Fortress Coach Partners’ leaders include Reza Jafer, a Canadian logistics investor, and Ankit Kamboj, a Canadian investor and part-time lecturer at Western University’s Ivey Business School.
They said the combined company will be positioned to expand its geographic footprint, share resources, strengthen customer service, pursue additional acquisitions and streamline operations. The move reflects broader industry trends, where consolidation is seen as a way to address driver shortages, rising fuel costs and the demand for modern fleets in a post-pandemic recovery.
“By integrating these best-in-class operators, we’re building a foundation for growth, innovation and exceptional service,” said Kamboj, founder of KCM Holdings. “While our immediate focus is on strengthening and expanding in Ontario, our long-term vision is to grow beyond.”
Jafer, managing partner of Second Bite Capital, said the new platform will follow a “family-of-brands” approach that preserves the independence and culture of both operators while pursuing expansion.
“Corporations, universities, schools, teams and communities have long relied on these operators for exceptional service, and that commitment will remain our north star,” he said.
