Show support for improved transit before January 20!
The City’s budget for 2026 isn’t inked yet, but the idea of scrapping a previously approved transit hour increase has been floated at Council. Right now, we have a short window to encourage Councillors to follow through on planned transit enhancements. There will a Committee of the Whole (all of Council) meeting on the morning of Tuesday, September 20—and the transit budget is likely to be discussed. If you want to help ensure that the increased transit hours our City has requested from the Province are actually budgeted for, you might want to write a quick email to Council.
Pushing pause on transit improvements is a bad idea for a whole host of reasons.
- There is competition among municipalities for hours offered by BC Transit. If the City of Kamloops doesn’t budget for the additional hours we’ve requested, it sends the Province a message: Kamloops is not serious about transit. This would make it easier for the Province to not fund their half of our requested hours. And it wouldn’t be a one-time hit: Kamloops would likely be offered fewer hours going forward, meaning we would fall behind other communities who demonstrate a clear commitment to improved transit.
- A strong, convenient transit system improves affordability for all of us by reducing the number of cars on the road, deferring the need for costly road upgrades. Choosing to use transit instead of personal vehicles becomes a realistic possibility, saving people thousands of dollars per year on vehicles, insurance, and maintenance.
- Kamloops has one of the highest transit usage rates in the province. Whether you use transit yourself or not, more trips by transit means reduced pollution and noise for all residents.
- Transit makes our community accessible by providing mobility and independence for the approximately 30% of Kamloopsians who can’t drive.
This is an election year. It’s a good time to let Council members know we’re paying attention.
Transition Kamloops
Transition Kamloops is a volunteer-driven, registered not-for-profit society focused on increasing local resilience and self-sufficiency in food, water, energy, culture and wellness. We emphasize a local economy, healthy ecosystems, and grassroots community building, while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. We believe in a better way: a community that sustains life in all its diversity, strives for equality and justice and invests in the future.
Transition Kamloops recognizes that we are living on Secwépemcul’ecw—land that was never ceded to settlers, and continues to be home to vibrant Indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions. We acknowledge the impact of colonization, forced displacement, and ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous peoples. We commit to listening, learning, and building positive relationships with Indigenous communities as we work towards reconciliation.
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