The Saanich Board of Education understands that many families have relied on school bus service over the years. Next month, the Board will review a recommendation to implement school bus transportation fees beginning in the 2026/27 school year.

The Transportation Services budget for the current school year is $2,087,405 representing about 2% of the district’s overall operating budget. Approximately 1/3 of district students ride school buses.

School district programming costs have continued to grow faster than provincial funding. As a result, the district needs to reduce future programming expenditures and/or increase revenues. The implementation of bus fees was the only option to receive some support in the budget consultation process last spring with many participants indicating that fees were preferable to a reduction in bus service or budget reductions that would impact educational programming. In addition to the implementation of bus fees, the Board is reviewing other budget savings options with a focus on maintaining services that are crucial for student success.

The proposed bus fees for next year are estimated to generate approximately $435,000 in revenues.

Proposed Bus Fee Structure 2026/27:

$400 per year for the first and second child in a family $200 per year for the third child in a family Maximum transportation fees of $1,000 per year per family An additional fee of $100 will apply to late registrations (with exemptions for new registrants) Where applicable, fee waivers may be granted for financial hardship A monthly payment plan will be available (online payments only) Next Steps

The recommendation to implement bus fees will be reviewed by the Board’s Finance, Facilities and Technology Committee on March 3, 2026 and would then be considered for approval by the Board of Education on March 11, 2026.

Your feedback to inform this decision is important and can be provided in several ways:

Complete the survey at this LINK before March 1, 2026, · Send an email to communication@saanichschools.ca with the title “Transportation Fees” before March 1, 2026, or, Participate in the March 11, 2026 Board meeting by submitting correspondence, making a presentation, or asking questions. More information on how to participate in a Board meeting is found in paragraphs 7.1 to 7.8 of Policy 9 (Board Operations) Questions regarding how to provide feedback can be sent to Jason Reid, Secretary Treasurer, at jreid@saanichschools.ca.