City council discussed the possibility of Dawson Creek operating without BC Transit during its latest meeting.
The topic came up when council members reviewed another transit service, Step Up ‘N’ Ride.
Step Up ‘N’ Ride provides door-to-door service targeting specific groups and is already funded by the city.
Eligible users include seniors, veterans, people with diverse abilities, students, and individuals with special needs.
One resident, Raistlin Van Spronsen, relies on BC Transit and worries about the impact of losing bus service in the community.
“I use it to get to and from work, run errands, visit friends, for volunteering opportunities within the community. I use it on a daily basis,” he said.
Some councillors suggested the city should step away from BC Transit.
“Quite frankly, as you all know, I believe we should cancel our BC Transit arrangements completely,” councillor Charlie Parslow said.
It was said that BC Transit has become costly and that Step Up ‘N’ Ride might be enough to support transit needs.
Van Spronsen said he didn’t expect council to consider eliminating BC Transit.
“The vast majority of us aren’t eligible for Step Up ‘N’ Ride services,” he said.
Mayor Darcy Dober said it’s council’s job to explore every avenue when allocating budget.
“In debate and in council, there was some councillors that made comments about BC Transit and that’s fair,” he said. “That’s healthy debate, being able to speak what you feel, and maybe, they hear that from community members,” he said.
Van Spronsen said transit service was more frequent six years ago but now has significant coverage gaps.
“In late 2019, the council voted to reduce the transit budget. This resulted in a 60 percent reduction in service,” he said.
He added that he isn’t asking for an increase in coverage, only for the current level to stay in place.
The contract between the city and BC Transit expires in Spring 2026.
Dober emphasized that no decisions have been made on the future of transit in Dawson Creek.