VICTORIA -- A motion spearheaded by Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps to make bus passes free for youth across the Capital Regional District was defeated by the Victoria Regional Transit Commission Tuesday.
The meeting took place at the BC Transit office, while climate protestors chanted outside.
Before the meeting took place, BC Transit had presented a report recommending against the free passes.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps, however, urged the transit commission to provide free passes to youth throughout the Capital Region.
In 2019, the City of Victoria implemented free passes for its youth in December.
Since then, 7,200 transit passes were made available for free to youth aged 18 and under who live in the city.
In January, approximately 2,400 youth in the city had taken advantage of the offer.
