Letter asks city council support public bus service from Vernon to West Kelowna

Feb 10, 2025 | 1:33 PM

A Vernon resident has requested an expansion to the public transit system through the Okanagan, which has received local support.

A letter from Fraser Young and addressed to Vernon City Council asked for the city’s support in a call to expand B.C. Transit services by expanding Route 97 to link it with Route 90.

This expansion would allow people to take public transit from Vernon all the way through to West Kelowna on a rapid bus line.

The letter stated the bus service could begin at 5 a.m. with the last bus running as late as 2 a.m., with busses running every 15 minutes during peak travel times.

Young stated this expansion would provide easier air travel by providing a reliable service for people to get to and from the Kelowna International Airport. It also stated the expansion would benefit students, seniors, commuters, and visitors needing or wanting to travel through the Okanagan.

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In the letter, Young said “more than 400 community members from our region in support of this [expansion],” adding Premier David Eby, Vernon-Lumby MLA, Harwinder Sandhu, and Lake Country City Council, have expressed support for expanded public transit services in the region.

“I humbly request that Vernon City Council do the same and request the extension continue all the way to Vernon following the existing route 90,” Young stated in the letter.

The letter was accepted as information at the regular city council meeting Monday, Feb. 10, and council then voted in favour of having Mayor Victor Cumming write a letter of support to the province.

by Liam Verster

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