'System error' cancels 1,290 bus passes for B.C. seniors, people with disabilities

The B.C. government is blaming a "system error" for cancelling nearly 1,300 bus passes for low-income seniors and people with disabilities.

The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reductions said 1,290 passes were mistakenly cancelled last weekend, but that the province is working with TransLink to get new ones out to everyone who was affected as quickly as possible.

“There was a system error over the weekend that affected a small percentage of BC bus pass holders and the ministry moved quickly to ensure uninterrupted access to transit," Minister Shane Simpson said in a statement.

All of the cancelled passes were distributed through the BC Bus Pass program, which is available to people with disabilities and some seniors. More than 100,000 people take part in the program, according to the ministry.

Simpson said once the issue was discovered, government staff began calling everyone affected to talk them through their options. People have been told they can pick up a temporary Compass Card at the TransLink customer centre on Beatty Street in Vancouver, or have one sent to their home by courier.

The ministry said people can also call TransLink customer service at 604-953-3333 for more information. 

Correction: The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reductions previously said TransLink staff had been instructed to let affected riders board without tapping a card while the issue was being resolved. That was not the case.