The Springboard Grant allowed Get on the Bus to build capacity and community for the free youth transit movement in Edmonton. The resources provided allowed them to hire a local consultant to develop the necessary partnerships and gather information to get Edmonton youth on the bus. The local consultant enabled them to find the best collaborators and partners, whether public or private and address challenges and opportunities in order to efficiently build a path to free youth transit in Edmonton.

Get on the Bus is a national movement supporting and encouraging communities to invest in youth transit education and free passes. Helping youth build lifelong transit habits benefits communities with a more vibrant and user-friendly transit system, aids local businesses and helps address pollution and congestion issues by decreasing personal car travel. Get on the Bus officially launched in June 2023 and was developed from a hugely successful youth transit program started in Kingston, Ontario. While they are making some successful inroads in British Columbia, Nova Scotia and several Ontario communities, they did not yet have a presence in Alberta and the prairies. They identified Edmonton as an excellent prospect municipality for this program, but they were without staff or resources to create the project base there.

They anticipate that the Springboard Grant and its learnings and outcomes will also increase uptake and interest in Calgary and beyond, allowing Get on the Bus to find its Western Canada foothold. This will give us access to more partners and supporters who will increase its capacity for success even further.

These activities will support projects focused on youth engagement in public transit, such as pilot programs for free transit access for specific youth groups, youth training programs and hopefully a Youth Ambassador Program specific to Edmonton. The activities will also inform collaborations with Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) and other community organizations to design and implement transit-related youth engagement initiatives that align with Edmonton's current needs.

This initiative enabled the Small Change Fund to conduct a thorough feasibility study and build critical partnerships in Edmonton. Through researching Edmonton’s current approach to public transit, gathering reports and data and networking with key stakeholders, they have positioned themselves to create well-informed youth transit engagement programs in the city. These programs will contribute to Alberta Ecotrust’s focus areas by engaging in immediate and long-term climate action. This work supports Climate Resilience and Emissions Reductions by reducing GHG emissions through improved youth ridership, as well as creating life-long transit riders.