Public Awareness of Transportation Changes
- February 2015
CBE Transportation completes a survey with parents. It does not mention consolidated bus stops, transferring middle school students as young as 10 to Calgary Transit, or the removal of all subsidies for public transit. - April 2015
With the province proposing cutbacks, CBE administration brings forward the idea of congregated bus stops. - May 2015
The CBE announces the survey results.
Media articles report that the CBE will begin using congregated stops across the CBE system. CAPSC executive request information regarding transportation costs, timing of decisions and rationale behind the changes, and mention the need for stakeholder consultation required by the CBE’s own rules. - June 2015
Newly elected NDP government restores education funding. CBE leaves congregated bus plan in place, and reduces transportation fees by $30. - September 2015
Four days before school, the CBE releases the revised routes detailing locations for congregated stops. After hearing from a significant number of parents, CAPSC takes action, asking that safe and reliable transportation services be restored. Comments to the petition show that families are seriously affected by the changes.
Minister of Education asks the CBE to address the issues with congregated bus stops. The CBE adjusts distances to 1.6 km for elementary school students, and 1.8 km for middle and junior high school students.
On September 21, CAPSC meets with Alberta Education Minister David Eggen to discuss transportation and other concerns. - October 2015
Calgary Metro confirms that the revised CBE bus stop distances are two times longer than those for the Calgary Catholic school system, and four times longer than both the Edmonton Public and Catholic schools systems.
CAPSC invites municipal, provincial and school board representatives to Walk a Kilometre to the CBE Learning Centre, in order that they can understand what this distance means for young children.
After multiple efforts to obtain information about the transportation changes, CAPSC submits a Freedom of Information (FOIP) request.
CAPSC submits an Opinion-Editorial to the Calgary Herald with details on the FOIP findings. The editorial notes that a three-year move to congregated bus stops had been suggested by CBE Transportation in a March 2014 report.
Minister of Education David Eggen announces in the media that Alberta Learning will investigate.
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