The City of Dawson Creek will pay more for public transit over the next year after council approved a new annual operating agreement with BC Transit.
Council approved the 2026-27 agreement, which sets the city’s share of transit costs at $437,262. The agreement covers the period from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027.
According to a report presented to council, the city’s contribution is increasing from $402,068 in 2025-26, representing an 8.75 per cent increase. The hike is included in the city’s 2026 budget.
The transit system is expected to cost about $905,000 to operate over the next year. After accounting for revenue, the remaining costs will be split between the province and the City of Dawson Creek, which covers just over 53 per cent of the total.
Despite the increase in costs, no service changes are planned for the upcoming year.
The agreement maintains Dawson Creek’s current transit service level of 3,300 annual service hours and includes the same 13 statutory holiday exception days when service is not provided.
The report notes transit services are often relied upon by some of the community’s most vulnerable residents and, for some people, represent their only means of transportation.
Earlier this year, BC Transit presented options that would replace the current north and south routes with a single city-wide route aimed at reducing travel times and addressing midday service gaps, but a final decision has been pushed to 2027.