News

Proposed Changes to Eligibility Distances for Transportation

19 October 2023

Current Eligibility

Under the current directional policy, students are eligible for transportation services if their primary residence is more than the eligibility distance noted below by the shortest direct walking route as measured by the Transportation Authority (by publicly maintained road and/or walkway) from the school that the primary residence is within the catchment area for:

Grades JK-3 1.0 km

Grades 4-8 1.6 km

Grades 9-12 3.2 km

New Proposed Eligibility

We are proposing to change the eligibility distances for transportation to the following:

Grades JK-SK 1.0 km

Grades 1-8 1.6 km

Grades 9-12 3.2 km

Why are we proposing this change and who will it impact?

The Ministry of Education funds transportation based on the proposed eligibility distances. This change in eligibility will align Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board with the funding that we receive for transportation. Currently, we are drawing resources from other areas of the Board’s budget to subsidize busing for students in grades 1 to 3.

This change in eligibility will also better align our busing practices with that of our coterminous boards, for which we share busing through Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO) and Trillium Lakelands District School Board.

The eligibility distances of our coterminous boards are as follows:

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board:

Grades JK-SK 1.0 km

Grades 1-8 1.6 km

Grades 9-12 3.2 km

Trillium Lakelands District School Board:

Grades K-8 1.6 km

Grades 9-12 3.2 km

Aligning of eligibility distances will promote greater consistency in transportation services for all families and will assist our transportation providers in delivering a fully integrated cost-effective transportation service for local school boards.

This change would affect the busing eligibility of about 390 students (from grades 1 to 3) and go into effect for the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year.