The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) is putting the findings of its 2023 Regional Ground Transportation Study to work.

With funding from the Province of B.C., the study was carried out from May to August 2023, and identified issues and opportunities related to rural inter-city passenger transportation in the Southern Interior of B.C.

Following the release of the study, the Regional Transportation Enhancement (RTE) Funding Program was launched. The funding intake was open from September 18 to October 31. A total of $650,000 was available to fund projects with an end date of October 15, 2024.

With help from the province, the ETSI-BC RTE Funding Program provides non-repayable grants to enhance transportation plans, partnerships, technology, service communication, and seasonal connections between communities in the Southern Interior of B.C.

A primary focus of this funding program is on enhancing transportation opportunities in Indigenous, smaller, and more rural communities that may currently have little or no transportation access.

ETSI-BC announced recently that in the first phase of funding awards, 21 organizations across the Southern Interior have been allocated over $608,000 in funding. These projects will be led by First Nations, local governments, non-profit organizations, and private enterprises that partnered with public or non-profit entities.

Organizations/projects in Columbia Valley, Fernie, Creston and Golden are among those being funded (see more below).

There are three streams under the RTE Program:

RTE 1 – Planning & Partnership Development;

RTE 2 – Technology & Service Communication;

RTE 3 – Seasonal Service Delivery / Expansion.

The following summarizes the number of projects and the funding awarded by stream:

Projects approved in this phase of the RTE Funding Program range from existing transportation service improvements or expansions to exploring opportunities for new services where there are critical gaps.

A wide array of transportation services will be expanded or studied through these projects, including ski resort shuttles, medical and other bus services for vulnerable population groups, volunteer driver programs, carsharing, and ride-hailing.

The projects approved through this funding program will improve social and economic outcomes for communities. They will address challenges for residents related to travelling to work, medical care, and shopping, as well enhancing access to key recreation and tourism destinations in the region for both residents and visitors.

“With these approved projects, ETSI-BC will support the communities in our service area to explore and deliver transportation solutions. We are proud to support this breadth of community-led transportation projects across the Southern Interior and to be able to provide this funding thanks to the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure,” said Laurel Douglas, CEO of ETSI-BC.

“Funding transport initiatives for people to access better economic opportunities and recreational travel benefits everyone,” said Rob Fleming, B.C.’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “This is especially pressing in communities where people’s ability to access basic services, jobs and recreational spaces are limited by regional connectivity. That is why our government continues to support initiatives like this that make a difference in communities across B.C.”

e-KNOW file photo

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