The Passenger Transportation Board (Board) publishes a summary of the applications it receives on its website. 

Anyone can provide a submission supporting or objecting to an application within the submission deadline. Most submissions are from industry competitors who object to an application or prospective passengers supporting a new or expanding service.

The Board considers submissions received when deciding on an application.

Making a submission

The Board will read your submission if you meet the submission deadline detailed in the application summary and pay the $50 fee. There is no fee for local governments and First Nation governments making submissions.

Once received, Board staff forward copies of submissions to the applicant for their comment. Submissions must be complete. The Board may not accept follow-up or supplemental material sent in after the submission deadline has passed. See the Board’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (RPP) Manual to learn more about how the Board handles late and supplemental submissions.

Making submissions does not entitle submitters to participate any further in the application process or to obtain any further information or disclosure from the Board about the application.

Submission requirements

Submissions are an opportunity to give information to the Board to help make a decision about an application. Submitters who are licensees can tell the Board about their business, transportation opportunities in their communities and how the application could affect their services.

Submissions should be relevant to one or more of the factors that the Board considers when reviewing an application. The Board has outlined some of its considerations in its submissions policy.

Submitters may wish to review the Board’s public need and sound economic conditions policies, as well as guidance on public need and sound economic conditions indicators, as these principles are applicable to submissions too.

Submissions must:  

• State the outcome the submitter seeks (i.e., approval of an application or refusal of some or all of an application)
• Tell the Board why the submitter objects to or supports an application
• Specify details and facts, as well as independent evidence that object to or support an application

Submitters must state their case and provide factual details to confirm the claims that they are making. Avoid making general statements. For example, saying that an application should be refused because “there is no public need” is not informative.

Submitting social media

Submitters may wish to provide the Board with social media content as evidence to support their case. The Board has outlined how it considers social media content in its Social Media policy. General submission requirements on applications are stated in the Board’s RPP 13 and 46 (depending on the application type). These and all other submission requirements apply to social media.

Confidential submissions

In certain circumstances, the Board may accept a part of a submission in confidence. If submitters want to submit evidence to the Board in confidence, they must make a request to the Board and copy the applicant on the request. RPP 18 outlines requirements and procedures for confidential submissions.

Send a submission

All submissions must be provided in writing to the Board and received by the submission date specified in the application summary. 

Submissions must be provided by either:

1. Email - Submissions@ptboard.bc.ca
   • Once the Board has received your submission, you will be emailed by Board staff with next steps to complete payment of the $50 fee online. 
2. Mail
   • PO Box 9857 STN PROV GOVT
     Victoria, BC
     V8W 9T5
   • All physical submissions must be accompanied by a $50 fee, payable by credit card.(58 KB)