Pasma on school buses in Renfrew County: ‘How does this govt expect kids to learn if they can’t even get to school?’

OTTAWA — Chandra Pasma, MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean and Official Opposition Critic for Education made the following statement regarding student transportation in Renfrew County:

“The Conservative government has completely broken the student transportation funding formula and our kids, once again, are paying the price. Thanks to this government, students in Renfrew County may not be able to get to school next week.

Every child in this province, including kids in Renfrew County, have the right to get to school safely and learn. Transportation to and from school grounds is the very basic that kids deserve.

Doug Ford's Conservatives have constantly put Ontario's children second. This government's disdain for the needs of students is clear. Students, parents and teachers are still waiting for smaller class sizes, more teachers and education workers, and better mental health supports and investments in special education.

Now, with a funding formula that doesn’t cover the actual costs of student transportation, the government is putting school boards in the position of running more deficits or taking resources out of the classroom, while offering operators contracts that pay less than their expenses.

We saw what happened last year in Ottawa when an operator walked away from a contract because they couldn’t make it work financially. Now we are seeing the same problem in Renfrew County, and this will continue to be an issue in school boards across the province until the government steps up with adequate funding.

Kids can’t learn unless they can actually get to school. It’s time for Doug Ford and Jill Dunlop to prioritize our kids and step up with the resources they need.”