STAFF REPORT

TO: Transit Select Committee MEETING: March 12, 2020

FROM: Erica Beauchamp FILE: 8500 01 IRT Superintendent, Transit Planning & Scheduling

SUBJECT: Interregional Transit Between Regional District of and Cowichan Valley Regional District

RECOMMENDATION

That the public engagement plan for Interregional Transit between Regional District of Nanaimo and the Cowichan Valley Regional District be approved.

SUMMARY

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) Transit Future Plan outlined the need for interregional transit. An interregional route between the RDN and the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) would enhance active transportation opportunities on , enabling travel between the two regions and increasing the sustainability of both Regional Districts. Opening the dialogue to the public for engagement and feedback will enable both Regional Districts to gather input with respect to travel demand, service span needs, and preferred routing options.

BACKGROUND

The RDN Transit Future Plan (2014) is a forward-looking document envisioning the path of transit development over a 25-year period from 2014 to 2039. It establishes transit priorities in terms of short, medium and long-term improvements, with the forecasted goal of achieving a 5% mode-share target and 400,000 transit hours by 2039.

One short to medium-term goal identified within the Transit Future Plan is the development and implementation of interregional transit service between the RDN and the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD). The priority of interregional transit was also identified during public engagement for the South Nanaimo Local Area Transit Plan. There are several markets interregional transit service would service. A market research report by SNC Lavalin (2015) identified a strong demand for transit service between the CVRD and the RDN, determined at the time to be Northbound from Duncan to Ladysmith, to Nanaimo. Other markets recognized during the report include transit to Nanaimo for medical services and employment. More recently, further travel demands that have become known are for commuters from Nanaimo to CVRD with connections to Victoria as well as from Duncan to Nanaimo, and transit north from the CVRD to the ferry terminals in Nanaimo. Report to Transit Select Committee - March 12, 2020 Interregional Transit Between Regional District of Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley Regional District Page 2

Interregional service between RDN and CVRD would serve the known market of Vancouver Island University (VIU) students and staff, ferry terminals and major employers within Nanaimo.

Service Options

On January 28, 2020, the Board passed the following motion:

That representatives from the Cowichan Valley Regional District and BC Transit be invited to meet with representatives from the Regional District of Nanaimo to discuss and explore potential options for connecting the Regional District of Nanaimo public transit system with the Cowichan Valley Regional District transit system.

RDN Transit has collaborated with the CVRD and BC Transit to begin planning interregional transit that considers the perceived needs of the rider and enables them to travel efficiently along the corridor between the RDN and the CVRD, without having to transfer to other buses.

Service Options Description

The proposed interregional route would operate between the CVRD and the RDN with the start/end points in Nanaimo being either Vancouver Island University (VIU) or the Downtown Nanaimo Exchange. The service would be a limited stop route to improve travel time and make it an attractive alternative to the private automobile.

Determining where to start and end the route in Nanaimo and location of on route stops are two of the primary questions that will be asked through public engagement (Attachment 1). Actual determination of the route terminus and route stops will be considered through a balance of feedback and operational efficiencies. The difference in travel time between ending the route at VIU or at the Downtown Nanaimo Exchange is negligible.

Public Engagement Plan

Public response for travel demand will be determined with the public engagement planned to commence the end of March, which will include the following elements:

 Online survey and a media campaign to direct attention to the survey;  Web platform; and  Ten public open house, five across each Regional District. Public engagement materials are designed to inform the public about the initiative and to seek feedback regarding the details of the proposed service, including service span, key travel times, key origins and destinations as well as suggestions towards appropriate fare.

Engagement results will be summarized and provided in a report to the Board in May 2020.

Implementation Considerations

Once synthesis and analysis of the public consultation data has been completed and a preferred service option is determined, several approval and agreement steps will be required.

Report to Transit Select Committee - March 12, 2020 Interregional Transit Between Regional District of Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley Regional District Page 3

Primarily, an agreement amongst all parties will be necessary with the following considerations:  Service plan and implementation timeline that corresponds with timeframes for transit vehicle ordering;  Governance structure including roles and responsibilities of each partner or formation of transit commission;  Expansion plan for future consideration;  Long-term agreement to ensure stability and continuity of service;  Cost-sharing agreement for capital and operating costs;  Operational plan for service delivery, development, and maintenance;  Fare-strategy including initial fare structure, future fare development and revenue sharing.

ALTERNATIVES

1. That the public engagement plan for Interregional Transit between Regional District of Nanaimo and the Cowichan Valley Regional District, set to commence in March 2020, be endorsed.

2. That alternative direction be given.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The financial implications for interregional transit between the RDN & CVRD will be brought to the Board at a later date, thus there are no financial implications associated with this report. Proposed 10 trips per weekday interregional transit service is estimated at 5,700 annual hours and 5 trips per Saturday at 650 annual hours.

STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLICATIONS

Transportation and Transit - Develop an active transportation network linking the Regional Districts in central Vancouver Island (e.g. Regional Districts of Nanaimo, Cowichan Valley, , Alberni-Clayoquot).

______Erica Beauchamp [email protected] February 14, 2020

Reviewed by:  D. Marshall, Manager, Transit Operations  D. Pearce, General Manager, Transportation and Emergency Services  P. Carlyle, Chief Administrative Officer

Attachment 1. 2020-02-25 – Interregional Transit Report by Aaron Thompson, BC Transit