If you’ve ever read a poem on the bus, this one’s for you.
Earlier this year, Books BC was informed that TransLink will be unable to secure continued funding for the Poetry in Transit program after 2027. That puts a well-loved Vancouver tradition, poems sharing space with the daily commute, at risk.
What’s confirmed
- Books BC was told that TransLink can’t secure continued funding after 2027.
- The program is not ending today; the funding concern applies to the period after 2027.
What a replacement might look like, or whether other funders could step in, hasn’t been confirmed at the time of writing.
Why it matters
Poetry in Transit puts local writing in front of people who might never walk into a bookstore or a reading. A poem on a transit ride is free, accessible and part of the everyday city, which is exactly the kind of small cultural moment that makes Vancouver feel like ours.
For emerging and diverse writers, public placement can be a rare platform. Losing it would mean fewer places where local voices show up in public space without a ticket or a paywall.
What you can do
Follow Books BC for updates, share the news, and tell the people who fund and plan transit that arts access matters to you.
Do you have a favourite poem you’ve spotted on a ride? Tell us what it was and where you read it.
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