Halifax to get 60 electric buses as part of $112M deal

Halifax Regional Municipality will get 60 battery-powered electric buses as part of a $112-million agreement with the provincial and federal governments.

"Our plan is to have a totally electric fleet by 2028 and we think we might be able to do it faster with continued support from government," Halifax Mayor Mike Savage told reporters following the announcement at the Ragged Lake transit centre.

The current fleet has 340 diesel buses, along with some specialty vehicles. A tender for the electric buses will be issued this summer, with the first buses hitting the road by 2023. Full delivery is expected to be complete by 2024.

Along with the buses, the money announced Thursday will also be used to buy the necessary charging equipment and expand the transit centre to accommodate the new fleet. Although there is mounting speculation that a provincial election call is imminent, Premier Iain Rankin told reporters that the money announced is budgeted, is not contingent on any election outcome and has been in discussion for some time.

The provincial government has not traditionally been a major player in municipal transit, but Rankin said that needs to change.

With an aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Rankin said the government must look at all avenues and that includes how people get around. The province has made several active transportation announcements in recent weeks and Rankin said he expects more transit announcements in the future, for now with a focus on capital as opposed to operations.

"I think the province does have a role in public transit," he said.

"We're looking at future partnerships. We always like to find ways that we can leverage [spending], especially with the ambitious climate plan that the federal government has, and that's in large part how we're able to get so much done in this province."

The funding breakdown is $45 million from Ottawa, $37 million from the province and $30 million from Halifax Regional Municipality.

Halifax MP Andy Fillmore said the federal government is committed to continuing to fund transit projects as part of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan. Although that program is slatted to end in 2026, Fillmore said the federal government will then shift to a permanent program to help support public transit.

"Will there be more announcements like this? Yes there will be. They won't stop — they'll accelerate, would be my expectation."

Construction beginning next year

Along with the buses and charging stations, the Ragged Lake transit centre will undergo a retrofit, including the installation of solar panels that will make it a net-zero building. Construction at the site is slated to begin in 2022 and finish the following year.

Municipal officials said they expect there to be operational savings by switching to an electric fleet.

Savage said the aim is to not only improve the municipality's carbon footprint, but also get more people riding the bus.

Although the plan is to completely electrify the transit fleet, the city will buy some new diesel buses in the short term.

There are 37 buses on the way now (25 replacements and 12 expansion) and there are plans, although they could change, to buy seven more in 2022. After that, however, city officials say they'll be transitioning to vehicles that use sustainable fuels so the municipality can meet its climate change goals.