Whitehorse organizations want free transit program continued
CBC
Some Whitehorse non-profit organizations want the territorial government to keep buying bus tickets for people in need, after a free-transit initiative expired last Sunday.
The program, which ran for 13 months and was funded by the territory, dispersed free bus tickets and passes via local non-profits, the Jim Smith building, and the Whitehorse library.
The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition is circulating a petition calling on the new Yukon Party government to bring it back.
“It makes it possible for people to get to work, attend medical appointments, buy groceries, go to school, and take part in local events,” the organization has said.
The program was a product of the Yukon NDP’s confidence and supply agreement with the previous Liberal government. The NDP originally pitched free transit for everyone, but when that idea failed to gain traction with the city, the tagged $1.5 million was redirected to providing the free tickets. A monthly bus pass costs $75 for adults and $33 for seniors and people with disabilities.
The Yukon Party says it isn’t planning to renew the funding.
Cory Bellmore, new minister of Community Services, said the program was established by the previous government, and she’s awaiting data on the program from her department. She said 24 non-profits were involved by the program's end.
Bellmore said she's expecting a review of "the total cost of the program, as well as just understanding the effectiveness and impact,” and said that she would “keep the program idea in mind.”
The City of Whitehorse says the Yukon government purchased 13,000 monthly passes and 22,000 individual bus tickets, to the tune of $1.2 million. The city was not involved in the distribution of the tickets beyond selling them to the Yukon government.
At Monday’s city council meeting, Coun. Lenore Morris said she heard the program was valued and she felt “regretful” to see it end.
The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition says it gave away 6,000 bus tickets and 750 passes in the last six months.
The Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Society Yukon (FASSY) says it reliably distributed 50 to 60 passes every month.
FASSY executive director Neena Mackinnon says the free bus passes were valuable, because help with transportation is one of the main requests the organization receives. Without the transit initiative, FASSY can’t afford to purchase a bus pass for everyone who asks.
“Now it's a decision on: Do we pay for your Canada Game Centre pass, or your transportation to get there? We can't do both, and if we can't do both, neither of them makes sense,” Mackinnon said.
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