City of Kelowna asked to support funding applications for future transit facilities in the Central Okanagan

On Monday, Kelowna City Council will be asked to endorse letters of support for BC Transit’s funding applications for future transit facilities in the Central Okanagan.

BC Transit is preparing applications to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) to fund the refurbishment of the Hardy Street transit facility and to further planning work for the future Hollywood Road facility.

The existing facility on Hardy Street was built in 1998 and has reached “its useful life without additional investment,” say city staff in their report.

The facility was originally built to support 70 conventional transit vehicles but is currently supporting the Kelowna Regional Transit System’s fleet of 109 buses.

Both the City of Kelowna and BC Transit have agreed it is necessary to extend the operations at the Hardy Street facility until the new facility is ready for service.

In early 2022, the city was successful in removing a 16.2 acre parcel of the 4690 Hwy 97 (Hollywood Road) property from the Agricultural Land Reserve, which will be home to the future facility.

The city’s recently completed 25-year Operations and Maintenance Facility Master Plan laid out plans for expanding the fleet and eventually introducing electric buses.

However, until that new building is constructed, the city will refurbish the Hardy Transit Centre to grow the fleet up to 130 buses while building infrastructure to support the first few electric buses.

The refurbishment project is budgeted to cost $4 million inclusive of up to $285,000 to prepare an ICIP application, say city staff.

The report explains that the cost of charging equipment will be funded separately through vehicle lease fees, after federal funding is secured.

In addition, the planning and design project for the Hollywood Road Facility project is estimated to cost $4 million. Part of the ICIP grant will fund “background studies” for future applications.

City staff explain that cost sharing for the two projects is determined by the total percentage of service hours delivered in Kelowna, Peachland, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, Lake Country and the RDCO.

“​​Under the current Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program costs eligible for federal funding are shared through a 20% local government contribution, 40% Province of BC contribution and 40% Government of Canada contribution,” says the report.

The City of Kelowna’s share is currently at 75.67%, which would work out to be about $605,360 of the $800,000 total local government contributions.

The grant application is due by Mar. 31 and additional information on more funding programs are expected in the coming months.

Mayor and council will review the matter and make a decision on Monday at 1:30 pm.

Thumbnail photo credit: City of Kelowna