Transportation, Public Schools

The 2018 BC Tripartite Education Agreement (BCTEA) includes commitment by BC, Canada and FNESC to an innovative approach to ensuring adequate and appropriate transportation services for First Nations Students who attend public schools. BCTEA introduces new tools such as Joint Transportation Plans and the targeting of transportation funding to ensure that First Nations students receive the transportation services they need.

About the First Nation Student Transportation Fund – Schedule G of BCTEA

As per Schedule G of BCTEA, the Parties established a First Nation Student Transportation Fund (“Fund”) to address the transportation needs of First Nation Students who live on-reserve and attend BC Public Schools. Boards of Education (“Boards”) and First Nations are encouraged to work together to determine First Nation Student transportation needs (including transportation to extracurricular activities) and co-develop Joint First Nations Student Transportation Plans (“Joint Plans”). Transportation Plans are to include strategies to address various modes of transportation, such as walking, driving, bussing, ferry, or water taxi, depending on local needs. The Joint Plans should be informed by the Guiding Principles and criteria established by the BCTEA Parties.

Important Dates

The BCTEA Parties have scheduled the following (virtual) sessions to support the Joint Plan submission process, to review the updated forms and to answer any questions that may come up:

Information Sessions

  • March 4, 2025: 10:00 am – 12:00 noon PST – Annual Meeting on Transportation (AMT)
    – Presentation AMT March 4, 2025
  • April 1, 2025: 10:00am – 11:00 am PST – Transportation Joint Plan Drop-in Information session #1
  • April 29, 2025: 10:00 am – 11:00 am PST – Transportation Joint Plan Drop-in Information session #2

NOTE: Representatives from First Nations and school districts are not expected to attend more than one information session but they are welcome to do so if they have further questions.

Submission Deadline

  • May 16, 2025 – School districts are expected to submit the following completed documents in Excel format to BCTEA@gov.bc.ca
  • 2024/25 Transportation Revenue and Spending Report including the following Tabs:
    • Signature Tab;
    • (1) Spending Report;
    • (2) Extracurricular Report.
  • 2025/26 Joint Transportation Plan Worksheet including the following Tabs:
    • Agreement Reached
    • Parental Assistance (if applicable)

2024/25 School Year Timeline

 

Reporting for the 2024/25 School Year

Specific reporting requirements apply to the use of transportation funding. School districts may use the following documents to complete and submit their reports:

Data collected through the BCTEA Reporting Template that includes Board spending, description of transportation services and student count information is being used to understand school baseline spending on First Nation Students transportation and to inform Joint Committee decision-making related to Joint Plans.

Sharing the completed Reporting Template will demonstrate to First Nations that school districts are using available funding sources to transport First Nation Students living on reserve to public schools. Note: A First Nation’s signature on the Report confirms that the document has been shared with that First Nation.

Please submit completed 2024/25 Revenue and Spending Report along with the 2025/26 Joint Plans by May 16, 2025 to BCTEA@gov.bc.ca.

Development and Submission of 2025/2026 Joint First Nation Student Transportation Plans

First Nations and Boards of Education may use the following documents and templates for the development of 2025-26 Joint Plans.

School districts may submit co-signed Joint Transportation Plans by May 16, 2025 to BCTEA@gov.bc.ca. Late Joint Plans may not be considered for supplemental funding.

Joint Transportation Plan Status Quo Letter

If First Nations and school districts are not requesting funding for Special Supports and/or Parental Assistance and the previous year’s joint plan continues to meet the First Nation Students’ needs, they have the (simplified) option to submit a Status Quo Letter instead a full Joint Transportation Plan.

Please note, Extracurricular funding may be requested through the Status Quo Letter, submissions may not be brought forward to the Joint Committee for review and approval until documented approval by both parties (signature or email confirmation) is received.

Transportation to Extracurricular Activities (NEW)

Beginning in the 2025/26 school year, school districts and First Nations will be able to request funding  transportation to Extracurricular activities in the Joint Transportation Plan or the Status Quo Letter. The amount of this request can be up to the allocation of funding equivalent to the 2024/25 school year.

Learn More

  • Transportation News Release, Indigenous Services Canada, March 2, 2020.
  • See BCTEA Schedule G – Transportation: Starting in 2018/19, Boards of Education and First Nations were encouraged to work together to determine First Nation Student Transportation Needs and co-develop Joint First Nation Student Transportation Plans. The Joint Plans are to include strategies to address various modes of transportation, such as walking, driving, busing, ferry or water taxi, depending on local needs, as well as transportation to extracurricular activities.

Inquiries

For questions about the Joint Plan submission requirements,