B.C. govt. fails to fund transit expansion, so City of Chilliwack funds road repairs instead

CHILLIWACK — Money that had been budgeted to provide expanded bus service on five primary bus routes in Chilliwack, including the Vedder bus (No. 51) and Evans (No. 52) bus, will now be redirected to road rehabilitation projects around town after the B.C. government’s 2023 budget did not fund transit expansion in Chilliwack.

According to agenda item 15.2.1 for Tuesday’s Chilliwack City Council meeting this past week, city staff submitted a request to councillors to approve a reallocation of $323,000 to fund road repairs after the recently released 2023 budget from the B.C. government did not provide funding for service expansion.

City staff wrote in a report to council dated March 2 that transit costs are equally shared by the City of Chilliwack and the province of B.C. Both parties must commit to funding expansion in order for B.C. Transit to proceed.

“As of February 28, 2023, the Government of BC released its 2023 Budget which did not provide funding for service expansion. As a result, City funding for the planned transit expansion of 2023 may be reallocated to the road rehabilitation program,” Douglas Mossey wrote in a staff report that was signed off by Kara Jefford, director of engineering, Glen Savard, director of finance, and Chris Crosman, CAO.