Parents in Wild Rose School Division will begin paying student transportation fees at the start of the 2026-27 school year.
Following a review of several options, the board approved a motion setting fees at a maximum of $300 per eligible student and $600 per additional-circumstance student.
Additional-circumstance students attend WRSD schools but fall outside provincial guidelines for eligible ridership.
WRSD superintendent Jodie Mattia says the fees are being introduced to address a projected transportation deficit of about $1 million in the current fiscal year.
Mattia points to rising costs for parts and labour, the purchase of new buses, and growing difficulty finding qualified drivers. She says that without the fees, transportation costs would need to be redirected from the instructional budget.
In 2025, WRSD signed a new five-year contract with Prairie Bus Lines and First Student, adding approximately $185,000 to the division’s already projected deficit from the previous fiscal year.
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To support families, the board has directed administration to develop flexible payment options, including payment plans and possible multi-student discounts.
Currently, WRSD does not charge student transportation fees. Mattia says it is one of the few school divisions in Alberta with that distinction.
Busing represents a significant obligation for the division. According to WRSD, school buses travel 11,076 kilometres each school day — enough to cross Canada twice.
Each year, students are transported an estimated 1.96 million kilometres, or roughly five trips around the globe.
Mattia says details on payment options and timelines will be shared with parents in the coming months.
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