July 17, 2023 – The electrification of Canada’s public transit systems recently saw another boost, as Brampton, Ont., Cochrane, Alta., and Okotoks, Alta., receive funding—in part—from the Zero Emission Transit Fund (ZETF).

The City of Brampton—which aims to reduce its GHG emissions by 80% by 2050—is receiving a combined spend of $1.1 million to support Brampton Transit as it undertakes its Zero-Emission Bus Implementation Strategy and Rollout Plan.

The plan will guide Brampton’s transition to a full fleet of zero-emission electric buses.

Undertaken by the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), the planning will include cost and saving assessments, fleet and facility requirements, energy-as-a-service, resourcing, risk analysis, and advanced predictive modelling for bus deployment.

The Government of Canada is contributing $880,000 in this project through ZETF, and the City of Brampton is contributing $220,000.

The Town of Cochrane, meantime, is the beneficiary of a combined spend of $103,800 to plan for the electrification of its transit fleet.

The town will undertake a planning study that will look at the electrification of Cochrane On-Demand Local Transit. It will involve assessing the economic, technological, and environmental benefits of transitioning to a low-carbon fleet of vehicles, as well as the potential risks and constraints.

“On-demand transit offers flexible and efficient transportation tailored to the demands of a community and, by embracing innovative technologies and data-driven approaches, Cochrane is seizing another opportunity to be a leader in Canada’s sustainable future,” said Josipa Petrunić, president & CEO, CUTRIC.

The Government of Canada is contributing $83,040 to this project through ZETF, and the town of Cochrane contributing $20,760.

The Town of Okotoks is partnering with Ottawa and CUTRIC to explore the feasibility of transitioning Okotoks Transit’s on-demand fleet to zero-emission vehicles.

Through a joint spend of $120,552, the town will study the economic, technological, and environmental benefits, risks and constraints associated with the transition to a low-carbon fleet.

The Government of Canada is contributing $96,441.60 in this project through ZETF, and the Town of Okotoks is contributing $24,110.40.

Launched in 2021, the Zero-Emission Transit Fund offers support to public transit and school bus operators across Canada who are electrifying their fleets.

CUTRIC is the designated national planning service for the fund.

ZETF is currently accepting applications under the Planning and Capital streams. Eligible applicants can seek funding to help cover planning and capital costs related to electrifying school transportation and public transit systems, including the purchase of zero-emission buses and related infrastructure.