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Simpson said he’s heard from people who want to have the bus pass earlier, but it has been structured in such a way that it will be an annual pass that begins at the start of the calendar year.

“I appreciate and I’m sympathetic to the concerns people have, but I think it’s going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to get it back before the first of January,” Simpson said.

Last August, then social development critic Michelle Mungall said it would take “a stroke of a pen to do the right thing” and undo the changes to the disability bus pass.

When asked about the comment, Simpson blamed the Liberals for changing the rules and making the fix more complicated.

On the topic of waiving the bus pass fees for the next three months, Simpson said he would have to go back and ask for a significant amount of money to do that.

“At this point, I have not gone and talked to Treasury Board and talked about the dollars,” he said. “I don’t anticipate being able to do that.”

He said he hopes the recent $100-per-month increase to disability assistance will help people with disabilities in the meantime.

People are also asking for more information on how the bus pass will be implemented. Details were thin following the throne speech and there has been no clarity during the week and a half since.

“We’ve expressed to the minister that the uncertainty is an issue for people,” said Faith Bodnar, executive director of Inclusion B.C. “My understanding is they’re doing things as quickly as they can. I’m just hopeful and confident that this is a serious effort at restoring something.”

Simpson said there is “one final step” to take before the details of the pass can be released, which will happen in the next couple of weeks.

jensaltman@postmedia.com

twitter.com/jensaltman

— With files from Rob Shaw