Starting this fall, kids 12 and under can ride BC Transit for free.
As part of Tuesday’s budget announcement, the Provincial government announced it would be investing $26 million to help families to get around more affordably, with $15 million of that coming from the Federal-Provincial Restart Agreement.
In light of this, starting in September, kids under twelve will be able to ride transit for free.
The new budget cut applies to any public transit system in BC, including TransLink (and HandyDart) and BC Transit.
Previously, children up to five years old boarding with parents or guardians on BC Transit routes could ride for free.
It is anticipated about 340,000 children across the province will have access to free transit later this year.
According to BC’s budget, this will save families in the Metro Vancouver area up to $672 a year per child, and families in the rest of BC who use transit, $400 a year.
“This will bring the next generation of transit users onboard, with the potential to save families hundreds of dollars every year,” Finance Minister Selina Robinson said.
For a round-up of where other portions of BC’s 2021 budget were allocated after yesterday’s announcement, take a look at our breakdown here.
