Alberta offers help to school boards with high fuel costs

A school bus is seen in this undated file photo.

The Alberta government is offering millions in funding to school boards throughout the province that are struggling with the high costs associated with student transportation.

The Fuel Price Contingency Program will help provide additional funds to public, separate, francophone and public charter school authorities while average diesel prices are in excess of $1.25 per litre.

The fund will provide approximately $8.2 million for the period of time between March and June of this year, the province said, with the money being paid out in July.

"By providing further fuel cost relief to support transportation services for more than 300,000 kindergarten to Grade 12 students, we are helping prevent service reductions and additional fees for families," Education Minister Adriana LaGrange said in a release.

"With high diesel prices expected to continue, Alberta’s government continues its commitment to ensuring school boards and public charter schools have predictable and sustainable transportation funding."

The contingency fund is in addition to the regular $310 million allocated for student transportation costs for the 2021-22 school year and the $2 million in estimated cost savings through the government's suspension of the 13 cent per litre gas tax.

Diesel prices have spiked in Canada since the early part of 2022, adding to extra costs for Canadians considering the fuel is what commercial truck drivers and freight trains rely on.

According to the combined monthly average of diesel prices among Alberta's major cities, the price per litre between March and June is approximately $1.80 per litre.

The provincial government says the Fuel Price Contingency Program was first introduced in 2005, where it ran until 2009.

It returned in 2011, where it helped with another period of "price volatility" for approximately two years.

In statements to CTV News, both the Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District appreciated the added support from the UCP government, but would hold off on further comment until they saw how the funding would be dispensed in the coming weeks.

Alberta Education says it will be "monitoring fuel costs" into the new year and will provide relief as necessary.