The City of Ottawa and the Government of Canada announced $350 million in federal funding to help transition the city’s diesel-bus fleet to zero-emission buses.
The funding will support the purchase of 350 zero-emission buses to replace the ageing diesel-powered fleet in the nation’s capital.
Mark Sutcliffe, Mayor of Ottawa, had this to say at the announcement:
Any investment in public transit in Ottawa is an investment in the environment. With the new funding for our zero-emissions bus program the Government of Canada is contributing to these shared and critical priorities. These new buses will help OC Transpo continue its work towards reducing greenhouse gases and convert our fleet to zero-emission electric fuel.
The city will install the required infrastructure to charge the buses and complete necessary renovations at vehicle storage facilities for repairs, maintenance and charging.
The city is already moving forward with budget authorities to begin the procurement of said buses. However, the city did not confirm when the first buses would arrive nor if they have chosen a supplier as of yet.
Currently, OC Transpo has a small fleet of electric buses running in the national capital region. There are four New Flyer XE40 buses on routes, with another 26 buses coming online in 2024.
