Halifax students could lose free bus passes after provincial funding cut

The provincial government said it no longer support a pilot project that provided free transit passes to some students.

Thousands of students in Grades 7 to 12 may soon have to start paying to ride the bus after the province cut funding for Halifax’s free student transit pass program.

The program, which allowed students to ride for free to school, work and extracurricular activities has been a popular initiative aimed at encouraging public transit use among young people. City officials say they were caught off guard by the provincial decision.

“It was a surprise we didn’t know before the announcement this week,” said Deputy Mayor Patty Cuttell, noting the importance of the program for both students and the city. “If we can get young people to use and to understand how transit works, then there’s a high likelihood that they’ll continue to use transit later in life.”

The province had been contributing $1.2 million to the program, with the municipality covering additional costs through lost fare revenue.

Instead, the province will now spend $600,000 on the funding, leaving the municipality to cover the remaining $1.2 million. Without the province’s full contribution, Halifax must decide whether to absorb the shortfall or end the program entirely.

Councillor Sam Austin said the cut leaves the city with a significant gap.

“Well, it drops a $1.2 million hole into our budget, which we’re going to be considering next week and deciding what it means for us. Does it now end because we don’t have a funding partner anymore? It puts us in a difficult position,” he said.

Cuttell argues the cut will add more pressure to streets and residents.

“We know congestion is a priority of the province to address, and something as simple as the bus pass is what’s going to help address congestion in the long-term,” explained Cuttell. “The city has received a lot of criticism from the province about our potential tax hike of 10.9 per cent. We don’t know if that’s going to be the final outcome but adding something like this to our budget will only increase our budget.”

Students reacted quickly to the news, with many expressing concerns about how it would affect their daily routines.

One student said, “I think it does suck for all my other friends who live out in Spryfield. Now they have to pay for the bus every morning and on the way back to school.”

Another added, “Not everybody can afford a bus pass, not everybody can afford to drive to school or walk to school every day, so I think it would just be an unfortunate cut.”

Austin also highlighted the concerns he has heard from the community.

“I’ve definitely heard from parents, teachers, and community members expressing concern. From parents saying they’ll have to drive their kids more, to teachers worrying about class trips and after-school activities because the cost of transportation is sometimes a barrier, and the program eliminated that piece,”

City officials argue the program offers benefits beyond getting students to class.

“We’re seeing record numbers in terms of transit use across the city. That’s a real positive, it’s important for our economy, it’s important for youth and for addressing issues like congestion,” Cuttell said.

Looking ahead, city leaders remain hopeful that further discussions with the province could restore the program.

“City officials remain hopeful that discussions with the province could bring the program back, keeping students moving and communities connected,” Austin said.

Council is expected to finalize its budget next week and the fate of the student transit pass program will be one of the key decisions.

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