Delegates at the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) adopted a resolution calling for the province to establish a pilot project offering discounted rates for post-secondary students on BC Ferries.
The AVICC actively lobbies the province on behalf of local governments, focusing on issues like climate change, housing, and infrastructure.
The resolution, submitted and drafted by Oak Bay Coun. Carrie Smart, calls on AVICC to advocate for a $10 per day flat-rate ferry fare pilot program for post-secondary students travelling as foot passengers during non-peak hours. Smart worked with students from the University of Victoria Students’ Union to draft the resolution, which notes students pay full adult fare despite limited incomes and rising cost-of-living pressures.
“For many, ferry routes serve as essential connections to family and educational opportunities, yet the adult fare creates an affordability barrier,” Smart said in a news release. “Students should have equitable access to travel, so that they can learn, explore, and thrive in communities across our great province. I am happy to support advocacy for an initiative that makes it easier for post-secondary students to access co-op employment and travelling home to visit their family.”
Full fare fees create barriers to accessing education-related opportunities, employment, and family connections, particularly for students travelling between Vancouver Island and the mainland, according to Tam Aljundi, incoming director of campaigns and community relations for the student union.
“For many students, ferries are not optional, they are how people get to school, work, family, and community. A $10 student ferry rate would make it easier for students to travel home, see loved ones, and say yes to opportunities without cost being the thing that holds them back,” Aljundi said.
Saanich Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff was among those who spoke in favour of the resolution during the AVICC annual general meeting and convention that wrapped Sunday (April 26) in Victoria.
“A student ferry rate is a practical way to help students in Saanich and across B.C. access more opportunities in the face of rising costs. A discounted student ferry fare pilot would help remove barriers to education, employment, and community connection, and it is exactly the kind of affordability measure the province should be advancing,” Phelps Bondaroff said. “Evidence from other jurisdictions demonstrates that student transportation discounts increase ridership, support sustainable transportation choices, and create long-term public benefits.”
A similar resolution will appear at the UBCM convention, Sept. 14 to 18 in Vancouver.
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