In collaboration with the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, BC Transit and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission announced a temporary extension of the refugee pass program.
Now effective until Dec. 31, the program provides refugees in Greater Victoria with free transit as they transition into their new communities.
The extension until the end of 2022 will continue supporting new refugees by removing barriers to transit access for a one-year period, a release said.
Implemented in late 2015, the program aims to support an influx of incoming refugees through the distribution of monthly transit passes with more than 12,900 passes administered since inception.
“BC Transit is proud to continue supporting this program and help new Canadians transition to our community by providing temporary free access to public transit,” said Erinn Pinkerton, president and CEO of BC Transit, in a statement. “Calling a new country home comes with many challenges, and we want to do our part and help make their transition a little bit easier.”
Whether that’s in helping newcomers get safely to a new job, school or to access resources, transit plays an important role in helping refugees settle into the community, she added.
On a monthly basis, passes are delivered to the Inter-Cultural Association for distribution to those in need.
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