Some Fee Increases Set for 2021-2022

At a Special Board Meeting on Thursday March 11, 2021, Parkland School Division's Board of Trustees approved the Fees & Allowances Schedule for the 2021-2022 school year. The approved fees outlined in the appendices of Administrative Procedure 522: Fees, are based on the current provincial funding model and adjustments may be required based on changes in provincial funding models. Fee increases are required to operate the regional transportation system on a break-even basis. It is important to note that this does not, and by legislation, cannot generate revenue that would be then applied to classroom expenditures. The fee increases will offset anticipated increases in fuel, carbon tax and contractor rates due to inflation and insurance. The majority of riders that access Parkland School Division's Regional Transportation system access the services for less than 17 cents per trip. 

Key changes for the fee schedule include:

• Eligible riders for students attending Grades 1-12 will see a minimal increase of $10 to maintain service levels.
• Ineligible urban students (those who reside less than 2.4km away from their designated school) will see an increase of $75 bringing that rate up to $525 for Grades 1 through 12 students.
• Ineligible rural students (those who reside less than 2.4km away from their designated school) will see an increase of $150 bringing that rate up to $450 for Grades 1 through 12 and full-time Kindergarten. ($75 for half-time Kindergarten students) The family maximum rate will be increased to $1,125. The plan is still to increase it over time to eventually be equivalent to their urban counterparts. Fees are being increased to move fees for non-funded students towards the actual cost of transporting a student (~$1,100) while minimizing the fees to funded students.
• For eligible riders, the $60 annual fee works out to less than 17 cents per trip.
• For those unfunded, ineligible urban riders, a Grade 1-12 student can ride the bus all school year for $1.44 per trip.

Bus Pass Fee Breakdown

* ECS transportation is for full day kindergarten two days per week with alternating Fridays.

** ECS transportation is for full day kindergarten two days per week with alternating Fridays and applies only to students residing less than 2.4km away from their Private School