The New Brunswick government is buying back 15-passenger vans from school districts as the small northern New Brunswick city of Bathurst marks the sad anniversary of the accident that killed seven high school basketball players and a teacher.

The Bathurst High School boys basketball team was returning home from Moncton on Jan. 12, 2008, when their 15-passenger van slid into the path of a transport truck in freezing winter conditions. The resulting tragedy shook an entire community and has slowly led to a series of reforms to school sports travel rules in New Brunswick.

'All you can do is pray that at the end that you've listened and learned from everybody, those who have gone through the tragedy and those who have been fortunate enough not to.'— Education Minister Kelly Lamrock

The Department of Education has banned the use of 15-passenger vans in the aftermath of the Bathurst tragedy.

Many schools student councils purchased the popular vans through donations and fundraising events prior to the Bathurst accident. After the government banned the vehicles from carrying students to events, many schools were left scrambling to arrange different means of travel.

Now Education Minister Kelly Lamrock says the province will step in and buy back those vehicles so schools are not out a significant amount of money but the prohibition on using those vans is respected.

"We had taken the decision to take them off the road. We felt that those who had lost their money [in] that transition should have some help," Lamrock said.

"That's why we are going to buy [the vans] back."

The vans will be used by the Education Department to transport maintenance equipment and supplies but students won't travel in them.

The days of mourning and remembrance began Sunday when hundreds turned out for a memorial service for the boys in Bathurst. More activities are planned on Monday to remember those who died in the tragic accident last January.

Lamrock is hoping that the new regulations strike a balance that allows such extra-curricular activities and keeps safety in mind.

"All you can do is pray that at the end that you've listened and learned from everybody, those who have gone through the tragedy and those who have been fortunate enough not to," Lamrock said.

"We all love our children and I hope we have got the balance right."

There could be more changes as Lamrock said that his department is prepared to accept the recommendations of a coroner's inquest into the accident. That inquest is expected to be held in April or May.