Back to school for students in this province is fast approaching, but one MHA says parents in his district are scrambling, trying to discover whether or not their child will be approved for a seat on a school bus. 

MH for Topsail-Paradise Paul Dinn says he’s hearing from stressed out parents, who have recently been informed that additional school bus stops, will not be added to existing routes. He says parents are being told to apply for courtesy seating, but they won’t know if their child has an approved seat, until two weeks into the school year.

There is further confusion at Activ Time Childcare. Dinn says he has been in discussions with the owner and operator here who says the buses from Topsail Elementary pass by this child care centre every day, but they are not on an established bus route. 

Dinn says he also wants to make sure, buses are in great working conditions for students in the province before they take their first ride to school in September. He says money allocated for renewing the school bus fleet in the provincial budget needs to be put to proper use.