Halifax Regional Municipality expanding student transit pass program

The Nova Scotia government is working with Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), the Halifax Regional Centre for Education and the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial to expand the Student Transit Pass Pilot Program.

All students from grade 7 through 12 at Halifax Regional Centre for Education and Conseil scolaire acadien provincial schools in HRM can now receive free transit passes for the 2024-25 school year, according to a news release from the province.

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Becky Druhan said the program makes life more affordable for families.

“The program gives students the independence to travel to and from school, as well as explore and learn about their community,” Druhan said in the release. “And it promotes sustainability by getting students familiar with the public transit system.”

Steve Gallagher, the regional executive director of Halifax Regional Centre for Education, said feedback from families using the transit pass program has been “overwhelmingly positive.”

The pilot program made transit passes available to approximately 5,400 student at 10 schools. It began with four high schools in 2021. Six junior high schools were added in 2022. The expansion will make transit passes available to more than 28,000 students at 59 schools.

Passes will be distributed through schools during the first week of classes.

The program will cost $1.8 million for the 2024-25 school year according to the release. The province said it will spend $1.2 million and HRM will contribute $600,000 to the expanded program.

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