The City of Dawson Creek will see higher transit costs next year after council approved a new annual operating agreement with BC Transit.
Council signed off on the 2026-27 agreement, setting the city’s share of transit funding at $437,262 for the period running April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027.
A report to council shows that’s up from $402,068 in 2025-26, an increase of 8.75 per cent. The higher cost is already included in the city’s 2026 budget.
Overall, the local transit system is expected to cost about $905,000 to operate next year. After fare revenue is taken into account, remaining costs are split between the province and the city, with Dawson Creek covering just over 53 per cent of the total.
Despite the increase, no service changes are planned for the upcoming year. The agreement maintains the current level of 3,300 annual service hours, along with 13 statutory holiday exception days when buses do not run.
The report also notes the importance of local transit services, particularly for vulnerable residents, with some users relying on it as their only means of transportation.
Earlier this year, BC Transit presented options that would have replaced the existing north and south routes with a single city-wide route designed to reduce travel times and improve midday service gaps. However, a final decision on those changes has been pushed to 2027.
