The Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium (RCJTC) says talks with the county’s college bus operators have reached one other standstill following discussions Wednesday.
Greater than 10,000 elementary and secondary college college students in Renfrew County have been with out college bus transportation this semester because the contract between the bus operators and the RCJTC expired.
In an replace Wednesday night, the RCJTC mentioned bus operators rejected two elevated contract gives from the consortium.
“The representatives for the varsity bus corporations maintained the place {that a} multi-year contract beginning with a 20% improve in 12 months 1 with a complete improve of 35% over 5 years is the one provide they might settle for,” a information launch mentioned. “This is identical place the varsity bus corporations have maintained since August 30, and would end in $8.8 million {dollars} over the 5 years being transferred from different areas of the varsity boards’ budgets to transportation, impacting companies to college students.”
The RCJTC mentioned it has provided will increase of between 12 and 18 per cent in yr one with an extra 2 per cent per yr for the remaining 4 years, resulting in a rise of between 20 and 26 per cent over 5 years.
“For the final provide made on October 2, over $4 million {dollars} over 5 years would must be transferred from different areas of the varsity boards’ budgets to transportation, impacting companies to college students,” the RCJTC mentioned.
“The newest provide, if accepted, would see college bus corporations in Renfrew County holding one of many richest contracts within the province.”
Bus operators have mentioned their prices have elevated between 30 and 70 per cent because the COVID-19 pandemic started.
RCJTC normal supervisor Justin Jeffrey mentioned it’s “vastly disappointing” that the newest gives weren’t accepted.
“We have been working with each the varsity boards and the Ministry of Training to determine any attainable resolution to assist shut the hole between funding and contract price expectations and get service working for college kids. The bus corporations have indicated they aren’t prepared to budge,” he mentioned.
“We all know how onerous this example has been on households throughout the county and we have now been coming again to the desk to discover a resolution that will work. On the similar time, we’ve not been supplied with any concrete monetary knowledge to justify the huge improve the operators are demanding from the varsity boards. The varsity boards cannot be anticipated to maintain pulling cash out of school rooms.”
“I do not see a fast end to this,” mentioned Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Secondary College Academics Federation.
“It is actually irritating for the ministry to not be stepping in and to permit this to occur,” provides Littlewood. “I am unable to assist however really feel if this was occurring in Toronto or Peel or Niagara, that there might need been some motion.”
In a press release to Ontario Chronicle, Edyta McKay, spokesperson for Training Minister Jill Dunlop, mentioned:
“Our authorities is holding a detailed eye on this matter and strongly encourages the varsity boards in Renfrew County and the native transportation consortium to achieve an settlement shortly in order that college students and fogeys get the transportation companies they should get to highschool safely.”
“I would like them to step in,” mentioned Chandra Pasma, MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean and the NDP Training Critic.
“The answer just isn’t going to be mediation as a result of the issue is the funding. The one method this get solved is that if the province steps up with extra funding.”
The province says for the 2024-25 college yr, the Renfrew County Catholic District College Board was projected to obtain a $1-million, or 14 per cent improve, over final yr.
The Renfrew County District College Board was projected to obtain a $1.2-million, or 11 per cent, improve.
A digital city corridor is being held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday the place dad and mom, college students, and anxious group members are inspired to talk on the impacts of the bussing state of affairs.
