Fleet of Electric Transit Buses First in Atlantic Canada

The Nova Scotia government is investing more than $37 million to help bring 60 new battery-operated, electric buses to Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).

Once in service they are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3,800 tonnes annually by 2030. The electric fleet will be the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada.

“We continue to aggressively pursue action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Premier Iain Rankin. “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.”

Funding will also be used to purchase related charging equipment and expand the Ragged Lake Transit Centre to accommodate the new fleet. The facility will also undergo a deep energy retrofit, including solar panels, to achieve a net-zero standard.

The total combined cost of the project from three levels of government is $112 million. The federal government is contributing $44.8 million and HRM is contributing $29.8 million.

Construction on the facility is expected to begin in 2022 and be complete by 2023. The request for proposals for the electric buses will be issued later this summer. All buses should be delivered by 2024, with the first deliveries in 2023.

Quotes:

“Good public transit creates healthier communities, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and fights climate change. Our investments in electric buses and a net-zero Ragged Lake Transit Centre will help accomplish that, while providing Halifax residents with safe and reliable service. Through Canada’s infrastructure plan, we’ll continue to create good jobs and build better, greener communities in Nova Scotia and all across Canada.”

– Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for South Shore-St. Margaret’s, on behalf of Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“The electrification of the Halifax Transit fleet is vital to our commitment to climate action. Today’s investment brings us much closer to the modernization of a public transit service that will reliably and sustainably meet the needs of a growing community and make taking transit a better choice for more people.”

– Mike Savage, mayor, Halifax Regional Municipality

“This project represents a huge step forward in propelling our transit system towards a greener future. It signifies a major investment in electric transit buses, which will reduce operating costs as well as help the environment.”

– Bill Cutler, director, Transit Fleet, Halifax Transit

Quick Facts:

• the electric buses will be added to the current bus fleet at the Ragged Lake facility
• Nova Scotia has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 53 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030

Additional Resources:

Nova Scotia Renewable Energy plan: https://energy.novascotia.ca/renewables

HRM Transforming Transit strategy: https://www.halifax.ca/transportation/transportation-projects/transforming-transit