British Columbia Allocation of Safe Restart Agreement funding

On September 18, 2020, the Government of Canada and Government of British Columbia confirmed that TransLink, BC Transit and BC Ferries would share more than $1 billion under the federal/provincial Safe Restart Agreement, which is cost-shared 50/50 by both governments. 

Contribution agreements with each agency have been finalized. $1.038 billion in Safe Restart Agreement funding will be allocated as follows: 

TransLink:

TransLink is receiving one-time funding of $644 million. This not only helps ensure the people of the Lower Mainland have access to important transit when they need it, but also that fares will be kept affordable.

• $600 million will help cover expected 2020 and 2021 calendar fiscal year operational losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and help continue transit services as part of British Columbia’s Restart Plan.
• $44 million will help ensure TransLink can limit average annual fare increases to 2.3% until the end of 2024. 

BC Ferries:

BC Ferries is receiving one-time funding of $308 million: 

• $280 million will help cover expected 2020-21 and 2021-22 fiscal year operational losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and help continue important core ferry service levels as part of British Columbia’s Restart Plan.
• $24 million to will help ensure BC Ferries can limit average annual fare increases to 2.3% until March 31, 2024, in line with the rate caps established by BC Ferries regulator prior to the onset of the pandemic.
• $4 million to help ensure continuation of discretionary sailings (those above contract levels that may have been discontinued due to COVID-19) on the minor and northern routes over the next three years.
• Where appropriate, BC Ferries will aim to provide ridership capacity at 20% above anticipated demand on all routes (other than northern routes) to minimize sailing waits during peak times. 

BC Transit:

BC Transit will receive $86 million to help support municipal partners that depend on fare revenues as part of the provincial-municipal partnership to deliver BC Transit services throughout the province. They, too, have been impacted by the pandemic.

• The full contribution will help cover expected municipal partner losses in the near term caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which include added operational costs to maintain safe transit services.
• The contribution will help municipal partners to limit average annual fare increases to 2.3% until March 31, 2024.
• BC Transit will support British Columbia’s Restart Plan by maintaining essential service levels in all its service areas, including BC Bus North. 

Learn more: 

The Safe Restart Funding contribution agreements are available online.  

TransLink 

BC Transit  

BC Ferries