Kelowna staff against joining proposed regional transportation service
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Kelowna city staff are advising council not to participate in a new Regional Transportation Service proposed by the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO).
The report, scheduled for council review Monday, says the city already provides many of the same services through its 2040 Transportation Master Plan and existing regional partnerships.
The RDCO plan, set to launch in 2026, would cost Kelowna about $266,000 annually — roughly two-thirds of the total $400,000 service budget. It would include coordinating regional transportation plans, facilitating a technical advisory committee, administering education and engagement programs, monitoring progress, and supporting grant applications for transportation projects.
City staff note that since 2020, Kelowna has led regional coordination following the dissolution of the Sustainable Transportation Partnership of the Central Okanagan. Key initiatives such as the RapidBus network, a frequent transit spine along Highway 97, the Okanagan Rail Trail and bikeway connectivity, and multimodal access to UBC Okanagan, the airport, and Westbank Centre are already being advanced through city programs.
