Kelowna’s transit costs set to rise by nearly $2 million
BC Transit bus (Image Credit: Vernon Matters Staff)
Kelowna taxpayers will see the city’s share of regional transit costs increase by about $1.92 million in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The increase covers Kelowna’s portion of the Kelowna Regional Transit Service, which provides conventional and custom transit across the Central Okanagan.
The city’s transit contribution rose by about $1.3 million in the previous year, helped by increased revenue following a transit fare increase. The latest increase is being attributed to rising operating expenses, including fixed costs, fleet maintenance and BC Transit management services.
Some costs have declined, including fuel expenses and ICBC insurance costs, as the transit system continues its shift toward electric buses.
BC Transit will continue to cover about 46.7 per cent of the overall service cost, with the remaining expenses shared among local governments based on transit service levels in each community.
The regional system operates about 285,000 service hours annually, including approximately 248,000 hours of conventional transit and 37,000 hours of custom service.
