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By Chris Brown

Government provides funds for new school buses

Sep 8, 2023 | 1:46 PM

The provincial government has set aside $20 million for school boards that manage their own student transportation fleets to improve their student transportation system.

The province says 24 of 63 school boards partially or fully operate their own school bus fleet and may be eligible for the advanced funding to purchase school buses. The buses are expected to cost about $170,000.

It’s expected up to 115 new buses could be purchased with the funds.

The one-year initiative brings forward provincial funding from future years so it can be spent now when it is needed, says the government in a release. Recipients will see the advanced payment reflected in future funding allocations, spread out over 10 years.

With the funding increases, school boards can add bus routes to support increased ridership expected when transportation eligibility criteria changes come into effect on Sept. 1, 2024. With the changes, another 80,000 students will become eligible for school transportation services. Of those 47,000 who currently pay transportation fees will become eligible for provincial coverage, saving parents and families more than $20 million, the province claims.

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School boards interested in accessing the funding should apply as soon as they have confirmed their bus purchase plans. Applications will be processed by the department as they are received. The application deadline is Oct. 31.