The Alberta government is repealing rules put in by the previous NDP government that mandated schools bus some students for free.
Starting Sep. 1, school boards will be able to charge parents to bus their kids to school according to a fee policy they draw up. As well, the education minister will not need to approve boards' fee schedules or increases.
"We respect the autonomy of local school boards to make decisions on day-to-day matters," said Colin Aitchison, press secretary of Education Minister Adrianne LaGrange.
"As always, school boards will remain accountable to the parents of their students for any fees they choose to bring into force."
The changes come with the UCP government's reversal of regulations earlier this month that were legislated by the NDP in 2017.
Those rules meant boards had to provide either busing or reduced-cost transit passes for students if they attended their designated school, but it was more than 2.4 kilometres from their home.
"I think it's because (the government is) going to continue to underfund education and they're going to make parents pay the price,” Sarah Hoffman, NDP opposition education critic, told CTV News Edmonton on Saturday.
"We hope that boards don't feel they're in a position where they need to increase their transportation fees, but we understand that if they're not getting adequate funding from the government that's something they might choose to do."
Under the new rules, school boards must consult with parents prior to setting or change school fees, and demonstrate a need to charge fees.
Boards will also be required to maintain financial statements that shows fees have been spent on the purpose they were collected for.
A rule preventing school boards from charging fees for textbooks, workbooks, and photocopying or printing supplies will remain in place.
With files from Timm Bruch
