Canada invests in electric bus infrastructure
The Canadian government announced it is allocating $1.5 billion (around 960 million euros) to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure. The funds are part of a larger three-year, $10-billion ‘Growth Plan’ that will also invest in clean energy projects.
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Catherine McKenna, joined Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in announcing the government’s Infrastructure plan aimed at boosting growth and creating jobs after the pandemic-induced economic downturn. The Growth Plan comes from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), which the government says should create approximately 60,000 jobs across the country. The three-year plan should, among other things, help build a low-carbon economy.
“This investment goes beyond cutting carbon pollution — it’s also an investment in Canada’s four electric bus manufacturers and the local jobs they provide,” said Sarah Petrevan, policy director at think tank Clean Energy Canada, following the announcement.
Just a day before, separately, the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) announced that it is investing $999,000 in eCamion, an Ontario-based energy storage solution company. The funds will be used to develop electric bus charging system.
“To get 5,000 electric buses out on Canadian roads in the next few years, and realize the long-term vision of the recent Throne Speech, we need to make electrification easy for transit agencies,” said Josipa Petrunic, CEO of CUTRIC. “Reducing the cost and complexity of charging systems is a critical step in helping transit agencies flip the switch and go electric with their buses in the near future.”
Among bus companies manufacturing in Canada are >BYD, Green Power Based in Vancouver BC and Porterville, CA and New Flyer based in Winnipeg MB. Part of the Volvo Group, Nova is based in St-Eustache QC, and there is Lion Electic Co.
Minister for infrastructure McKenna said: “Canada has an opportunity to be the low-carbon economy that global investors beat a path to.”
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