Selkirk launches free transit for youth

The City of Selkirk has unveiled a new transit pass to allow students aged 12 to 21 to ride buses in the region at no charge over the summer break.

During a morning news conference, Mayor Larry Johannson announced a new initiative, dubbed “Next Stop,” to help regularly transport about 1,700 students from Selkirk, St. Andrews and St. Clements at no cost to them or their families.

“We’re going to work with (Selkirk) over the next few months to make sure that when you come back to school in the fall, no one under 18 has to pay for transit, at all,” Premier Wab Kinew told a crowd of students and other attendees gathered at Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School.

“That means more freedom, more independence — but it’s also better for the environment and we hope that this is going to make good habits as you grow up and make your lives here in Manitoba.”

The premier’s remarks prompted students to erupt into a choir singing Wheels on the Bus.

The Kinew government’s 2026 budget includes funding to provide students with universal access to public transit in Winnipeg, Brandon, Selkirk and Flin Flon.