OTTAWA — Chandra Pasma, Ontario NDP MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean and Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Education released the following statement in response to news of potential disruption to student transportation in Eastern Ontario:
“The Ford government has known for years that their student transportation funding formula is broken. It is families who end up on the hook time and time again, and yet the Premier and Minister of Education refuse to fix it. Now, families across Eastern Ontario face a situation where there could be no school buses on the first day of school.
“We saw what happened firsthand in Renfrew County when no buses were running. Parents have to spend time and money getting their kids to school, impacting the family budget and employment. Some kids just won’t be at school at all.
“This can’t happen again in Ontario. The Minister of Education needs to roll up his sleeves, get to the table, and conclude an agreement with bus operators quickly so that they can hire drivers and be prepared to run routes on the first day of school.
“The Ford government must stop the repeated cuts, and properly fund every part of our education system so that our kids get the supports they deserve, including student transportation.”