Council gave initial support to a plan that will allow the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen to work with BC Transit to provide extended service between Osoyoos and Kelowa with a bus change in Penticton. (Richard McGuire photo)

Town council last week gave reluctant support to an expansion of regional transit that could see more frequent bus service between Osoyoos and Kelowna.

After a discussion mostly about their concerns over funding, council in the end passed a resolution to support the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) in implementing an inter-regional transit connection between Penticton and Kelowna.

This would allow Osoyoos passengers to change BC Transit buses in Penticton and travel onwards to Kelowna.

Currently the South Okanagan Transit system only has one trip per week to Kelowna on Mondays.

A concern for councillors was that the increased requisition for Osoyoos would be $13,080 annually, while Oliver would only pay $7,419.

This is because the funding formula for regional transit has traditionally been based on assessment rather than population.

“Why [would] Osoyoos … be paying almost double what Oliver would be paying?” asked Coun. Mike Campol. “I like the program, for sure, it’s just that from policing to now transit and everything else, it seems like we pay the lion’s share compared to our neighbours.”

Based on an average residential assessment, the cost per household in Osoyoos is $2.49 per year – 16 cents more than in Oliver, where the cost works out to $2.33.

Coun. C.J. Rhodes expressed concerns that the project could end up being costly if there isn’t the ridership.

“This is a huge investment,” said Rhodes. “If it doesn’t work out and people are not riding on those buses, then we’re going to get asked to bump up that amount substantially,” he said, noting that there will need to be investments in specialized buses, repairs and other operating expenses.

“That’s something that I’m very concerned about,” he said.

The proposed implementation date for the new service is September 2019.

A working group with representatives of BC Transit, Penticton, Summerland, Oliver and Osoyoos has had discussions about the proposal.

Peachland and West Kelowna would also benefit, but aren’t yet involved in the process.

If those two municipalities were to contribute, it would lower the share of $156,688 in annual costs that the other municipalities and RDOS electoral areas would need to pay.

In 2017, the total tax requisition for South Okanagan Transit was $46,691, of which Osoyoos paid 38.4 per cent or a total of $17,910.

In 2018, the tax requisition for the current service will be $49,500, of which Osoyoos will pay $18,988.

Mayor Sue McKortoff, despite acknowledging the concerns, expressed support for moving forward with expansion.

“I think it’s been looked at many, many times,” she said. “It’s been discussed at the regional district… For the small amount in terms of what we would each pay, it’s worth going with this and giving it a chance to see what happens, because the benefit in the long run is that we have much better service and more consistent service.”

Coun. Jim King also saw the opportunity for Osoyoos residents to be able to take the bus to Kelowna more often.

As the discussion wound down, Rhodes reiterated his concerns about the cost of investment in the new service.

“Ongoing costs will be enormous on this and if we don’t put ridership in there, it’s just a huge waste of money,” said Rhodes. “But having said that, I think I’m prepared to support it.”

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times