WRDSB trustees give green light to motion exploring free GRT passes for students

Trustees with Waterloo region’s public school board are moving forward with exploring options to provide free bus passes to students.

A motion passed at Monday night’s Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) committee meeting will see a report put together on the feasibility of providing free Grand River Transit (GRT) passes to secondary school students.

The report will determine the financial implications, which are currently not known, and the possibility of local partnerships to make it happen.

The motion requests board staff explore a partnership with the Region of Waterloo and/or its townships and municipalities.

It also requests the report look at the possibility of partnering with local businesses and explore any funding supports that exist.

The motion also includes the idea of some kind of free transportation for younger students, however, the details of what this will look like have not been released.

Some students attending WRDSB schools do not qualify for school buses because of where they live and rely on GRT to get to and from school.

“Obviously there are so many other families that have multiple children doing this and that cost adds up, it definitely adds up,” said student trustee Vaishnave Raina during the meeting. “If this makes it easier for students to go to school it is definitely something worth considering.”

In July of 2021, GRT ended reduced fares for elementary and secondary students. The transit agency said this was “part of a transition away from age-based fare reductions to reductions based on income.”

Instead, the Affordable Transit Program (ATP) offers a 48 per cent discount on the price of GRT fares. This brings a monthly transit pass to $46.80.

Jean Stacey, a delegate at the meeting, said she believes the cost of transportation creates a barrier to accessing education for students who do not qualify for busing.

“Those students in Grades 9 through 12, living within the 3.2 kilometer range between home and school must pay for transportation on Grand River Transit at a substantial cost each month,” said Stacey. “This creates barriers for too many families in our community. Students are at an increased risk of poor attendance and potential drop out as families face increased financial demands.”

Stacey equated the cost of transportation with families having to choose between putting food on the table, or paying for school transportation.

Trustee Cindy Watson said she could not support the motion due to several unanswered questions, including how students will be kept safe on public transportation.

“We’re actually abdicating our responsibility onto Grand River Transit, businesses, when the problem lies with the ministry. I can’t support this for obvious reasons, and the number one reason is child safety,” said Watson.

Watson questioned the motion, saying she believed it could see students opt to take GRT instead of the school bus they are assigned to.

Associate Director Graham Shantz clarified there would be no changes to the current transportation plan.

“This is an investigation trustees are asking us to do to augment options that families may have above and beyond the current structures that we have,” said Shantz.

Board staff have now been asked to put together a report for trustees outlining how much this would all cost. No date was set for that report.