The Quebec government announced on Friday morning that $250 million will be invested in electrifying school buses over the next three years.
Last year, Quebec Premier François Legault announced a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with one measure being the electrification of 65% of all school buses by 2030.
With this three-year plan, nearly 2,600 electric school buses will replace their diesel counterparts, which will result in an estimated 800,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
Air pollution will be reduced as well, which will be extremely beneficial to children and their health.
There are concerns that local companies will be unable to meet demand, forcing the buses to be imported from the United States. However, Lion Electric, a Quebec-based manufacturer of electric buses and trucks, does not see this as a problem.
According to the company, it is ready to meet demand and has the capacity to do so. It will be supplying 2,500 vehicles per year and it will create an ecosystem centred on electrification.
This opportunity is thought to benefit the local economy while also positioning Quebec as an international leader in electrification. For example, 80 percent of the parts on Lion Electric’s vehicles are made in Canada, and the province of Quebec already has 150 vendors.
Source: Global News
