School begins in just a few short weeks across the province, but some students may not have a mode of transportation when the time comes. School Bus Ontario says nearly 16,000 students, including residents of Owen Sound and Meaford, could be left without transportation if the provincial government does not join negotiations for new contracts for bus operators employed by The Student Transportation Service Consortium of Grey Bruce (STSCGB). The STSCGB is described by School Bus Ontario as the “transportation arm of the school boards in Grey Bruce,” which contracts six different school bus operators, who oversee more than 300 routes. “The operators’ contracts ran out in June and they have been trying to negotiate a new settlement since the beginning of 2026,” says executive director of School Bus Ontario, Nancy Daigneault. Daigneault tells CTV News the operators and STSCGB were on the verge of reaching an agreement, “but the province stepped in and started the negotiations over, late in the school year and didn’t put a substantive offer on the table until July.” According to Daigneault, in Grey Bruce region, local operators have increased driver wages by 25 to 30 per cent over the life of the current contracts, which began in 2020. Daigneault claims, in that same time, the province has increased driver pay by just 17.5 per cent. “Operators have absorbed those additional labour costs because getting qualified drivers behind the wheel is essential to safely transporting students,” Daigneault adds. A delay in negotiations could compound the issue, as Daigneault says “drivers are now in limbo and don’t know when services will resume, some may look for other jobs.” The Bluewater District School Board says in a statement that it “remains hopeful it will reach a fair agreement with bus operators. Talks are ongoing between all parties, and have continued this week, and we believe there is a path to secure reliable transportation for this school year at the negotiating table.” It goes on to say “it sent out notice yesterday because we wanted to be transparent with families about the risk that bus service may not be available for all students at the start of the school year. We recognize and understand the challenges this presents.” School Buses Ontario says school buses now cost $185,000, up from $110,000 in 2020, when the recently expired contract was signed. In that time, the organization claims, new school buses and replacement parts have increased by 50 to 71 per cent due to inflation, supply chain disruptions and tariffs. CSC Providence, the only French first-language school in Grey County and Bruce County tells CTV News bus services will not be interrupted for their students as their contract with Francobus remains in place until 2027.
