On January 16, 2020, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna, Member of Parliament for Guelph Lloyd Longfield and Mayor of the City of Guelph Cam Guthrie announced funding for three projects that will expand Guelph’s public transit fleet while supporting its transition to clean energy transportation.
The projects include the following:
- The replacement of 35 diesel buses with long-range electric battery buses along with the installation of on-route charging stations.
- The purchase of 30 more electric buses that will add capacity to the public transit fleet while reducing emissions and protecting the environment.
- The construction of a new bus storage facility in Guelph that will store up to 200 vehicles and include electric charging stations for the new bus fleet.
| Project Name | Project Details | Federal Funding | Provincial Funding | Municipal Funding |
| Bus Fleet Electrification | The replacement of 35 diesel buses with battery electric buses and the installation of on-route vehicle charging stations.
The project includes a study of the electrification plans and results of large neighbouring municipalities which are currently piloting electric buses. |
$12,012,000 | $10,008,999 | $29,009,001 |
| Bus Fleet Expansion | The purchase of 30 new, long-range electric battery buses over a period of 8 years which will add capacity to the existing public transit bus fleet. | $9,828,000 | $8,185,905 | $22,936,095 |
| Construction of a New Guelph Transit Bus Storage Facility | The construction of a new bus storage facility that will hold up to 200 vehicles, include charging stations for the electric bus fleet. | $18,914,280 | $15,756,418 | $52,115,302 |
Together, these three project investments will encourage more residents to choose public transit by providing them with more frequent and reliable bus service.
The Government of Canada is investing more than $40 million in this project through the Public Transit Infrastructure stream of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The Government of Ontario is providing over $33 million, while the municipal share will be $104 million.
“Communities across Canada need access to modern, green public transit infrastructure. It’s essential to building a healthy, sustainable future,” said McKenna. “Adding electric buses to Guelph’s growing fleet is an excellent example of how we are working with our partners to build resilient infrastructure that meets community needs and supports a low carbon future for Canadians.”
Through its infrastructure program, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities. Of this funding, $28.7 billion is supporting public transit projects, including $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
To see the Investing in Canada Plan project map, click here.
Featured image from City of Guelph.
