Residents of Halifax will soon be able to catch a ride on an electric bus thanks to a sizeable investment from the Nova Scotia and Canadian governments and Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).
With a combined $112 million investment from the three levels of government a total of 60 new battery electric buses will be purchased for Halifax Transit. The fleet will be the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 3,800 tonnes annually by 2030.
That will help the province reach its goal of reducing GHG emissions to 53% below 2005 levels by 2030.
“We continue to aggressively pursue action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Expanding Halifax Transit’s fleet to include new electric buses will not only improve the capacity of public transit, but it will help us achieve our ambitious climate change goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. It puts us at the forefront of transit electrification in Atlantic Canada,” said Premier Iain Rankin.
The funds will also be used to expand the Ragged Lake Transit Center to ensure Halifax Transit can support the large fleet of electric buses, including the required charging infrastructure. The facility will also undergo a deep energy retrofit to achieve a net-zero standard.
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Construction of the facility is slated to begin next year and be complete by 2023. A vendor for the electric buses has not been selected but a Request For Proposals will be issued later this summer. Plans call for the first buses to be delivered in 2023.
The Government of Canada is investing $44.8 million, the Government of Nova Scotia is providing more than $37.3 million, and Halifax Regional Municipality is contributing $29.8 million.
