High school students living on the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations are being given free U-Pass bus permits in September to help keep transportation costs from being a barrier to attending school.
“Improving the learning outcomes of our on-reserve students is a high priority for the nation,” said Francine L’Hirondelle, Songhees director of education services. “It is more than appreciated that the school district will be administering the U-Pass program.”
Money for the program is coming from the federal- and provincial-backed First Nation Student Transportation Fund.
A pilot project run in May and June attracted 63 students, and it’s expected that 60 to 70 students will take part during the school year.
The Greater Victoria School District U-Pass initiative comes out of the B.C. Tripartite Education Agreement, which involves the federal and provincial governments and the First Nations Education Steering Committee.
The U-Pass permit system has existed for many years and is used by the University of Victoria, Royal Roads University and Camosun College. The pass has a $135 annual fee, which won’t apply to the Songhees and Esquimalt nation students.
Greater Victoria School Board vice-chairwoman Ann Whiteaker said the board hopes to continue with the effort on an annual basis, to ensure that as many Aboriginal students as possible can get to classes.
“One thing we do know is that attendance is critically important for success in high school,” Whiteaker said. “We’re really going to focus in this area and try and remove as many barriers as we can.”
Greater Victoria Transit Commission chairwoman Susan Brice said buses are a safe and reliable transportation option for the students.
In Sooke, district buses handle the transportation needs of Aboriginal students, said Sooke school board chairman Ravi Parmar.
In the Saanich school district, a district bus service benefits Aboriginal students, as well, but officials are also looking to the B.C. Tripartite Education Agreement to improve transportation for those living on reserves.
“We are currently working with the provincial government around an application for enhanced service there,” said district superintendent Dave Eberwein.
The City of Victoria is working on a transit plan of its own that provides fare-free travel to residents under 19, based on the U-Pass model. The program is expected to kick in by the end of November.
