By: Surjit Singh Flora
BRAMPTON, On Monday July 29, 2019, Mayor Patrick Brown, on behalf of Brampton City Council, welcomed a significant investment by the Government of Canada in the milestone Pan-Canadian Electric Bus Demonstration and Integration Trial in Brampton.
Ms. Ruby Sahota, Member of Parliament for Brampton North joined MP Kamal Khera (Brampton West), MP Sonia Sidhu (Brampton South), MP Ramesh Sangha (Brampton Centre) and the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, to announce an investment of $11.1 million toward the Brampton portion of the CUTRIC Pan-Canadian Electric Bus Trial. This trial is the first of its kind and the largest global deployment of electric buses and high-powered, overhead, on-route chargers. The Federal Government is committed to investment like this that will help reduce pollution and energy costs and pave the way for a zero-emission public transit sector.
To Reducing pollution from transportation is essential as Canada works to fight climate change, support healthy communities and invest in clean economic growth. The Government of Canada is encouraging the widespread adoption of electric vehicles by supporting innovative projects that provide more options to drive clean, including by making investments in electric, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles.
“Cleaner Vehicle are good for our community, our economy and our environment. Our government’s investment in Ontario’s electric bus network help support innovative Canadian companies and good jobs in Canada’s cleantech sector, while keeping our air healthy and fighting climate change, so we can build a cleaner future for our kids and grandkids said Catherine Mckenna Minister of Environment and climate change Canada said.
This first-of-its-kind project is the result of ongoing collaboration between Brampton Transit and the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), manufacturers of the fully electric buses New Flyer Industries and Nova Bus and charging station manufacturers ABB and Siemens. The unprecedented initiative has brought multiple levels of government, bus and charger manufacturers, system integrators, academia, and funding partners together to implement electric buses in Brampton.
This will be the largest single global deployment of standardized and fully interoperable battery electric buses and high-powered overhead on-route charging systems, with eight electric buses (six by New Flyer Industries and two by Nova Bus) and four charging systems (three by ABB Group and one by Siemens).
The breakthrough battery electric buses with zero tailpipe emissions will be launched on two existing conventional routes in Brampton: routes 23 Sandalwood and 26 Mount Pleasant. New overhead on-route charging stations will be launched at the Mount Pleasant Village terminal, the Queen Street/Highway 50 Züm station and the Sandalwood Transit Facility. The entire project will cost an estimated $15.96 million.
The electric buses will arrive on Brampton’s streets in late 2020/early 2021.
“This investment launches the largest interoperable system in play with the most intense of a high -power charging system on -route in Canada. With eight-buses and four overhead charhers in Brampton as part of the Pan-Canadian Electric Bus demonstration and integration Trial, today’s announcement marks the moment Canada has become an unquestioned world leader in e-mobility said Josipa Petrunic executive Director and CEO of Cutric.
Brampton Transit is committed to promoting new and innovative solutions to provide a high-quality service that reduces the City’s overall carbon footprint and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Brampton Transit currently operates 441 buses in its fleet, including 121 diesel-electric hybrid Züm bus rapid transit buses.
“A well-connected transit network is critical to building our position on Canada’s Innovation Corridor. Today’s announcement will bring more Brampton innovation to the Corridor, and position Brampton as a leader in sustainable transportation. The new e-buses are a testament to Council’s commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and building a Green City said” Mayor Patrick Brown
