Parents in Silver Valley and Rock Ridge are banding together after learning school bus transportation to Garibaldi Secondary has been axed in their area for the upcoming school year.
Leigh Ann Benetton, who lives in Silver Valley, said her two children depend on school bus transportation because their catchment school for the area is the furthest possible school away – Garibaldi.
Now Benetton, has been appealing to parents of Yennadon Elementary students, whose children will be going to Garibaldi in the fall, and Garibaldi Secondary students who currently rely on bus transportation, to start emailing local officials to keep the buses running.
"We've been assured we would have buses," said Benetton, noting they are necessary because Maple Ridge is a commuter community, with parents who leave their homes at 7:30 or 8 a.m. and don't want to worry about how their children are getting to school.
Within the School Act, there is no requirement for the school board to provide student school bus transportation service to and from school.
In the Preliminary Budget for the 2025/26 school year, it notes that in August 2016, the Ministry of Education announced an annual ongoing transportation grant of $186,000 for the school district.
However, the provincial grant has remained the same since then, despite increases to inflation and enrolment growth.
School board chair Elaine Yamamoto said the district acknowledges the concerns raised by families regarding the discontinuation of the bus service, noting the decision was not made lightly.
"It reflects the financial pressures facing the district, low ridership on the route, and the availability of public transit alternatives," said Yamamoto, adding that the estimated net budget savings for the cancelled route is around $100,000.
"These savings are being redirected to support core educational services and student learning," she said.
Yamamoto said the decision was made after careful consideration of low ridership on the route, the availability of public transit in the area, and infrastructure improvements that support safer walking and transit access.
She noted that staff have been working with Coast Mountain Bus Co., which has confirmed to the school district that there is sufficient capacity on routes 741, 733, and 701 to accommodate the anticipated increase in student ridership. And, the bus company has informed the school district that additional afternoon trips will be added to routes 741 and 733, with coordinated transfer times at Haney Place bus loop for smoother connections.
However, Benetton is concerned there won't be enough space on public transportation and says it is not a reliable option.
For one thing, she said, first-year Garibaldi students who are only 12 years old will have to take a bus around 50 minutes in each direction and transfer at Haney Place, where she noted there is a large population of "vulnerable" people.
The school bus ride for her children is currently only 15 minutes in each direction.
Benetton also described the city bus as violent. Her children, who will be going into Grade 11 next year, have told her stories of kids throwing punches and notebooks.
And, she said, the Dewdney corridor is already full of students who take that bus. Now, she said, the school district will be adding as many as 60 extra students to the throng.
Rich Kent has two children who will be going to Garibaldi Secondary in the fall for Grade 8.
"Cancelling the bus from my neighbourhood is a complete disaster for my schedule for me to get to work on time," he said.
Kent is not sure what he is going to do in the fall, as he is not comfortable with his children taking the city bus and doesn't think a 12-year-old should be riding the bus alone.
Both Kent and Benetton would rather pay more for a school bus.
"When we started paying for the bus five years ago, it was $200. It's now up to $415. And I'll happily pay. I'll pay more if I have to pay more. But they didn't propose that. They just cut it," Benetton said.
Yamamoto said the board recognizes that changes to transportation routines can be an adjustment for families, but with Coast Mountain's commitment to adjusting its service levels to accommodate the students, the board will not be considering a full cost-recovery model to reinstate the bus.
However, if public transit is insufficient in the fall, a cost-recovery option would be explored.
"We recognize that this change may be challenging for some families. While the board’s primary responsibility is to ensure the sustainability of educational services, we will continue to listen to feedback, and engage with families and transportation partners where possible to support student access to school," said Yamamoto.
