Discussions concluded on Quebec school bus services, says government

The Quebec government and Laval school services said on Thursday that parents can rest assured that all eligible students will be transported to school this fall.

The government said in a release that it has reached an agreement with the Fédération des transporteurs par autobus.

Quebec said that "discussions that have continued intensively and that have allowed for the adaptation of certain specificities, particularly with regard to the Montreal region and its surroundings."

The Laval service centre indicated earlier Thursday that it had been "informed" that a new agreement in principle was reached between the Quebec government and school transporters.

In a written statement to parents, the CSS de Laval said that the school transporters "are committed to offering school transportation to eligible students as of the beginning of the school year."

The government maintains that the offer will be "gradually deployed" starting Friday morning.

"It is now up to the school service centres to organize the service as quickly as possible and to contact all parents whose children benefit from school transportation," said the government.

A week ago, Education Minister Jean-François Roberge announced that a six-year agreement in principle had been reached between the Quebec government and the Fédération des transporteurs par autobus, including "significant investments."

However, it was then up to each service centre or school board to conclude an agreement with the carrier(s) in its territory within the budget available to it.

However, the CSS de Montréal announced Monday evening that "despite intensive negotiations over the past several months," it had still not been able to conclude a contract with most of the carriers in its territory.

In a message, the CSS de Montréal invited parents of students registered for school transportation to "plan alternative means of transportation in the event that this service is not provided in time for the start of the school year."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 25, 2022.