Thursday, March 28, 2024

City of Victoria will consider motion to provide free bus passes to homeless

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Two City of Victoria councillors have tabled a motion to offer free bus passes to the city’s unsheltered population.

The motion estimates that there are 250 unsheltered people living in Victoria and it would cost the city between $5,625 to $10,625 per month to provide them with free BC Transit passes.

The idea, brought forth by councillors Sarah Potts and Sharmarke Dubow, calls for the city to purchase bus tickets that the Victoria Regional Transit Commission sets aside at a reduced rate.

These tickets are only available for purchase to agencies, through the Community Social Planning Council, at low cost if they will be given out to low income individuals for free.

Purchased tickets are then matched on a one-to-one basis with free tickets from the Transit Commission.

The councillors recommend that the city set aside up to $10,625 each month for the provision of free transit passes to unsheltered populations through this program.

They also recommend that this funding allocation be reviewed in six months.

Council will deliberate this motion at their Committee of the Whole meeting this Thursday, November 5.

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Brishti Basu
Former Senior Staff Writer and Content Manager at Victoria Buzz.

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