Transportation Supplement – BC Bus Pass for People Receiving Disability Assistance

The BC Bus Pass Program helps low-income seniors and clients with the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) designation participate more fully in their communities.

A bus pass is available through the BC Bus Pass Program and can be provided to:

  1. Low-income seniors, or
  2. Clients with the PWD designation that receive disability assistance

If clients with the PWD designation that receive disability assistance and are also a low-income senior, refer to the information for clients with the PWD designation. The information for low-income seniors is only for those who do not receive disability assistance payments.

1. Low-income seniors

Low-income seniors can receive an annual bus pass at a reduced cost when one of the following criteria are met:

  • 60 or older, and the spouse of a person with the PWD designation that receives disability assistance
  • 60 or older and receive income assistance
  • 60 or older, live on a First Nations reserve, and receive assistance from your band office
  • 65 or older and would qualify for the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) but haven’t lived in Canada for 10 years
  • Receive these federal benefits: Old Age Security (OAS) and GIS, spousal Allowance, or Allowance for the Survivor (this does not include the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) survivor’s pension)

2. Persons with Disabilities (PWD) designation

Clients with the PWD designation can receive a monthly bus pass at no cost when one of the following criteria are met:

  • Receive disability assistance or hardship assistance from the ministry (this does not include the CPP disability benefits)
  • Are 65 or older and meet all the eligibility requirements for GIS but haven’t lived in Canada for 10 years and continue to receive disability assistance from the ministry
  • Live on a First Nations reserve and receive disability assistance from the band office

This bus pass is part of the Transportation Supplement. Clients must remain eligible for disability assistance each month to keep using the pass. However, there are specific circumstances where clients with the PWD designation may still qualify for the pass even if they leave disability assistance. Review the Transitional Transportation Support for more information.

Note: Clients with the PWD designation that receive disability assistance and start receiving OAS and GIS when they turn 65 will transition to a program called Medical Services Only (MSO). In the year they switch to MSO, they can continue to receive a bus pass through the low-income seniors program and do not have to pay a fee in that year.