Overview
- Halifax received a letter from deputy minister Tracey Barbrick confirming the province will discontinue $1.2 million for the student transit pass in 2026–27, citing deficit controls including 5% civil service and 3% broader public service reductions.
- City officials are weighing whether to absorb the cost or end the program, with Mayor Andy Fillmore warning it likely adds $1.2 million the municipality cannot afford.
- Roughly 30,000 students in grades 7–12 could be affected if free transit ends, though current passes remain valid through September 2026.
- Launched in 2021, the pilot provided free Halifax Transit to students at Halifax Regional Education Centre and CSAP schools to boost youth mobility and build ridership.
- The province says frontline services are being protected and points to $600,000 for bus passes for about 1,700 youth on income assistance, a step critics argue is not a replacement.