Larger centres in the South Okanagan are in the driver’s seat when it comes to deciding if a daily bus service from Penticton to Kelowna is going to happen by fall 2019.
B.C. Transit rolled out an aggressive timeline to implement service between the Penticton and at least one other, still to be determined location, in West Kelowna Thursday at the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen meeting. Potentially, the bus will travel all the way to Kelowna and have multiple stops but at this point specifics still need to be worked out, directors heard during a delegation from B.C. Transit.
Fares aren’t set yet either, but early calculations suggest the cost to the rider could be between $3 to $5.
Under current pricing estimates, Penticton and Summerland residents will brunt the bulk of the cost of operating the new bus system.
Costs could change if other partners outside the RDOS jump on board.
“If you look at the spreadsheet, it’s really a Penticton, Summerland, Oliver, Osoyoos, Area D thing. They’re in, it goes. If they’re not in, then it doesn’t,” said Michael Brydon, director for Area F (Okanagan Lake/West Bench). “Penticton and Summerland are going to be the linchpins in this whole thing.”
Penticton will bear the brunt 41.31 per cent of the cost while Summerland will be responsible for 13.68 per cent of the price of the regional service.
Under current estimates supplied by RDOS staff, Penticton would contribute $64,730 (average increase per household $3 per year) while Summerland would contribute $21,433 (average increase of $3.49 per household per year).
Other municipalities costs range from $13,080 (Osoyoos) to as low as $1,100 (Area B).
A delegation from B.C. Transit is on the agenda for Penticton council Tuesday and similar presentations are expected at other municipalities over the next few weeks.
Matthew Boyd, manager of planning, for B.C. Transit said Peachland and the Central Okanagan Regional District are interested in securing a daily bus between West Kelowna or Kelowna and Penticton, but first steps need to be taken at the RDOS board table.
“We’ve already had some discussions with Peachland. They’ve been involved in some early meetings. I think they’re very interested in a potential service, which is exciting to hear. I should note we have done some engagement with the Central Okanagan system over the past few years and a very common theme that comes in is ‘hey, how do we get to Penticton? There is no transit system connection there,’ so certainly there is engagement there,” Boyd said.
Several directors in the Similkameen raised concerns about how their bus service, which runs three days a week starting in Coalmont and ending in Penticton, would tie into the system.
Boyd said as timelines move forward work will be done to try and integrate the system.
The board will vote on whether to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with B.C. Transit at April 5 meeting. If that goes forward B.C. Transit will then work with partners to determine times, stops, and order buses. Public engagement is expected in fall 2019. A public assent process will need to be undertaken by the RDOS before the service can officially go ahead.