Families a part of the Saanich School District (SD63) could soon be paying to put their children on the school bus.
The Saanich Board of Education is set to review a recommendation next month that would introduce transportation fees beginning in the 2026/27 school year.
In a recent communication to families, the district said its Transportation Services budget for the current school year sits at $2,087,405, accounting for about 2% of the district’s overall operating budget.
Roughly one-third of students in the district ride school buses.
According to the district, programming costs have continued to increase at a faster rate than provincial funding. As a result, the Board of Education says it must either reduce future expenditures or find ways to increase revenue.
The district noted that during last spring’s budget consultation process, implementing bus fees was the only option that received some level of support. Many participants indicated they would prefer fees over cutting bus service or reducing educational programming.
If approved, the proposed fee structure for 2026/27 would see families pay $400 per year for the first and second child, and $200 per year for a third child.
Transportation fees would be capped at $1,000 per family per year.
An additional $100 fee would apply to late registrations, with exemptions for new registrants. The district says fee waivers may be available in cases of financial hardship, and a monthly payment plan would be offered through online payments.
The proposed fees are expected to generate approximately $435,000 in revenue next year.
The recommendation will first be reviewed by the Board’s Finance, Facilities and Technology Committee on March 3rd.
It would then go before the Board of Education for consideration on March 11th.
Families and community members are invited to provide feedback before a decision is made.
Input can be submitted through an online survey, by emailing the school board with the subject line “Transportation Fees,” or by participating in the March 11th board meeting.
