Government has taken action to ensure everyone who holds a BC Bus Pass will continue to have access to public transit systems across the province now that TransLink has closed its fare gates.
There are about 100,000 people who have a subsidized BC Bus Pass and almost 80% of them live within the TransLink service area and are using the Compass card. On April 1, 2016, the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation posted information that they are providing Compass Cards to an additional 18,000 low-income seniors and people receiving disability assistance who live outside Metro Vancouver so everyone will have the same access to the SkyTrain, SeaBus, and TransLink buses.
People living in the Lower Mainland but outside of Metro Vancouver currently hold BC Transit BC Bus Passes and many travel to Metro Vancouver to visit family or go to medical appointments. With the new Compass Card, they can continue to access TransLink services when needed.