BC Mid-Sized Cities Demand Better Bus Services Amid Housing Push

Buses in mid-sized cities across British Columbia (BC) face challenges in reliability, as local governments grapple with inadequate funding for transit expansion. Despite ongoing efforts to enhance public transportation options in these municipalities, the provincial government has indicated it lacks sufficient resources to support local transit initiatives. This funding shortfall is raising concerns among local politicians, as it undermines the province’s housing strategy.

In Penticton, Councillor Isaac Gilbert expressed frustration over the province’s lack of support for transit, stating that it contradicts the government’s own housing policies. At a council meeting earlier this year, he remarked on the disappointment of receiving “sweeping mandates” without the necessary financial backing. Similar sentiments were echoed by local leaders in Chilliwack, Kamloops, and Mission, who all voiced their discontent over the rejection of projects aimed at improving bus services within their communities.

The provincial legislation passed in 2023 promotes “transit-oriented development areas.” These designated zones, located within 400 metres of bus exchanges, prohibit cities from imposing minimum parking requirements on new housing developments. The intent is to facilitate the growth of multi-storey, dense neighbourhoods that encourage public transit use. Yet, many cities’ transit systems remain inadequate, with Kamloops experiencing such high ridership that buses often reach capacity.

Cities have collaborated with BC Transit to devise plans for expanding bus services. However, the financial burden of these expansions is shared between municipalities and the province, meaning that local governments depend on provincial funding to implement changes. While municipalities have pledged to fund over 100 additional buses and a total of 453,540 hours of new bus service since 2023, the provincial contribution has fallen short, covering less than half of the required amount.

For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the province did not approve any funding for transit expansions, and last year, it only provided resources for two-thirds of the new buses requested. As cities sought funding for 119 new buses for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the province allocated funds for just 56 vehicles.

The Tyee, a Canadian news outlet, obtained approval and rejection letters sent to various municipal officials, revealing that funding decisions did not always align with the evaluation criteria used by BC Transit. For instance, some high-ranking proposals for expansion were denied while projects with lower scores received funding. Councillor Gilbert described this situation as “quite unfair,” emphasizing that Penticton is well-positioned for increased density and transit-oriented growth due to geographical limitations.

Gilbert highlighted the impracticality of the current bus schedule, noting that only one route operates after 18:00, making it difficult for residents to rely on public transport, especially during evening events. “If we want people to use the bus, it has to be there for them and it has to be predictable,” he stated.

His frustrations are shared across BC. Chilliwack Councillor Jeff Shields echoed Gilbert’s concerns, expressing confusion about the provincial government’s lack of alignment between policy and funding. In Kamloops, Councillor Nancy Bepple criticized the province’s provision of only 8,000 new bus hours as inadequate, pointing to the strong demand for transit services in her city.

Mission Mayor Paul Horn articulated a similar perspective, stating there seems to be no strategic link between transit investments and housing growth. He noted that recent housing legislation in the province should inherently correlate with transit development, as increased housing density necessitates expanded bus services.

The province’s response to inquiries about transit funding was delivered through an email from Transportation and Transit Minister Mike Farnworth, who indicated a 70 percent increase in the operating grant to BC Transit to facilitate service expansion. Additionally, he referenced a commitment of $537 million for capital project improvements over the next three years.

Despite these figures, BC Transit confirmed that it would provide only $2.4 million to operate the 56 additional buses for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, a number that raised questions about the adequacy of funding for such a significant expansion.

To manage the disparity between demand for bus services and available funding, BC Transit employs a scoring matrix to evaluate expansion proposals. This system prioritizes projects addressing operational challenges, such as delays and overcrowding. However, Penticton’s application did not meet the criteria for immediate operational improvements, prompting concerns from city officials about the fairness of the evaluation process.

Councillor Gilbert acknowledged the financial constraints faced by governments but emphasized the need for investment in public transit as a means of supporting residents’ affordability. “The disconnect for me is the provincial government is not really focusing on that accessible and affordable transit for people throughout the whole province,” he stated. “If the plan is to connect British Columbians around the province to make life affordable and accessible, we’re going to have to have a transit system.”