THE WINNIPEG SCHOOL DIVISION
1577 Wall Street East, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 2S5
Telephone: (204) 775-0231
FAX: 774-6211

PAUL KOCHAN, FCPA, FCA
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/SECRETARY-TREASURER

March 14, 2017
Parents/Guardians
Re: Transportation Policy Changes
On March 13, 2017, the Board of Trustees passed a budget for the 2017/2018 school year which
includes expenditures in the amount of $406,594,200 for the fiscal period July 1, 2017 to June
30, 2018. This resulted in taxpayers within WSD boundaries receiving a 3.89 percent increase,
or $52 a year, on their property taxes based on an average residential home valued at $203,900.
To achieve a balanced budget, the Board considered many cost savings measures, including
aligning the Division’s transportation policy to be consistent with the Public Schools Act and
services offered by other school divisions in the City of Winnipeg.
Therefore, effective September 2017, only those students who meet the distance requirements
of 1.6 kilometers boundary from the school to both the residence/daycare will be eligible to receive
transportation. Students who have exceptional learning needs such as social/emotional,
behavioural, sensory, physical, cognitive/intellectual, communication, academic or special healthcare will continue to be provided with appropriate school bus transportation. As well, students in
Kindergarten to Grade 6 in a language or alternative program, and Nursery students attending
one of WSD’s three French immersion milieu schools or Aboriginal education school, whose
residence/daycare is both 1.6 kilometers or further from the school will also continue to be
provided with bus transportation.
As a result, students who do not meet the criteria noted above will no longer have an option to
pay a fee for this service. Although, the Division recognizes that this will require some families to
make adjustments to their daily schedules for the beginning of the 2017/2018 school year, it is
important to implement these measures to ensure that all financial resources are redirected
towards the classroom and programs that will enable students to be successful in their
educational learning, therefore, no exceptions to this policy will be considered at this time.
Should you require clarification on the revisions to the Transportation Policy, please contact the
Secretary-Treasurer’s Department at 204-775-0231.
Yours truly,

Paul Kochan
Chief Financial Officer/Secretary-Treasurer