Thunder Bay parent says bus route changes causing concern for children who must now walk

An east end parent said she's worried for her children's safety after losing access to school bus service.

Jessica Jones said her 7 and 11 year-old children, who attend Ogden Community School, now have to walk to school after changes to a Ministry of Education funding formula disqualified them from school bus transportation. 

The shortest route from their house to the school includes going through an underpass beneath the train tracks at Simpson and McTavish streets. Jones said she feels this route is unsafe after finding syringes there. 

"My biggest (fear) would be them coming in and something happening, whether it's a disagreement between people or whether there's open needles on the ground or there's crack," said Jones.

There is an alternative route, which involves going over the Pacific Avenue bridge, but Jones said she's worried the intersection there isn't safe for her children to navigate. 

"There's a stop sign just off to the back corner, right, which gets blown all the time," said Jones. 

There aren't designated walking routes to Ogden, said Student Transportation Services of Thunder Bay in an email to CBC News. While they use the direct distances for determining school bus eligibility, parents don't have to take their children to school on that route if they don't feel its safe. 

Student Transportation Services also said it will be reviewing the Simpson/McTavish underpass as a potential safety concern in future school distance calculations.

The provincial government changed the eligible distance from school that students need to live to have school bus service this school year. The distance most students must travel to school in order to qualify for busing doubled as of September 1, 2024.

Lakehead Public Schools has heard concern from parents about the bus distance changes, said Director of Education Sherri-Lynne Pharand. 

"Sometimes the snowstorms will take multiple days to get snow cleared and, and sidewalks plowed and things like that.  And also with us being near the edge of a time zone, it also stays dark really late and gets dark very early in the winter," she said.

Pharand said Lakehead Public Schools has been trying to manage the change by notifying parents early and adding safety measures when possible. This includes the new Wayfarer program, where trained older students escort groups of elementary students along a safe route to school. 

"We're just piloting that right now. And we hope to roll it out to more schools as we gather the feedback," she said.