Kelowna mayor wants public transit made essential service

In the wake of a two-week-long transit strike in the central Okanagan, Kelowna, B.C., mayor Colin Basran says he will pursue making public transit an essential service in the province. 

Basran made the comments in an interview with CBC Radio's Daybreak South. 

"It was clear to me and most of my council colleagues that transit is an essential service for so many people, particularly the most vulnerable in our community — for people to be able to get around and to do the most basic of things, like get groceries [and] go to medical appointments," he said.

Basran said Kelowna city council will ask the province to look into the possibility of making public transit an essential service.

"I actually believe that this is an essential service. So that is something we will want to follow up on in the future."

But the province doesn't seem keen to make any changes. 

In a statement, Minister responsible for Labour Shirley Bond said while it is unfortunate that the strike caused inconvience to users, there are no plans to make public transit an essential service.

"The Labour Relations Code sets out a general test for what is an essential service, which the independent B.C. Labour Relations Board applies on a case by case basis – and the key is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public," she said.

" Although we welcome any suggestions from community members on ways we can improve the Labour Relations Code, we have no plans to amend the essential services provisions at this time."

Strike ends after increasing public pressure

Bus service resumed this morning, after striking transit workers reached a three-year contract agreement with their employer First Canada, a private company that runs the Kelowna Regional Transit System.

In a statement, B.C. Transit said as a thank-you gesture to customers for their patience during the strike, bus service will be free in the Kelowna Regional Transit System until the end of November.

The labour dispute meant no busses ran for two weeks in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland and Lake Country.

There was increasing pressure on the City of Kelowna to intervene and help put an end to the bus strike, said Basran.

"This was a heavy burden and a huge inconvenience for a lot of people in our community," he said.

"Certainly in my two years in office thus far, [it was] definitely the most challenging situation that I've had to deal with."

It was City of Kelowna human resources manager Stuart Letherdale who brought the transit workers' union and First Canada together and helped mediate a deal, according to Basran.

With files from CBC Radio One's Daybreak Kelowna.

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