Canada and CUTRIC announce new zero-emission transit planning project in partnership with City of Moncton

MONCTON, NB, Feb. 23, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Her Worship Dawn Arnold, Mayor of the City of Moncton, and Josipa Petrunić, President & CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), announced an investment of $150,000 for Codiac Transpo to plan the transition to zero-emission buses.

This funding will enable Codiac Transpo, the public transit agency which serves the residents of Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview, to develop a multi-phase strategy to determine the costs of implementing zero-emission buses, assess the risks and advantages, and identify the infrastructure requirements for a full bus fleet transition.

By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our country's economy, increasing the resiliency of our communities, and improving the lives of Canadians.

Quotes

"Across the country, communities are taking climate action very seriously and are working to reduce their carbon footprint. Our government is committed to helping them do just that. By making this investment with Codiac Transpo, we are transitioning to zero emission buses to provide cleaner and more efficient commuting options, while helping Canada achieve its emissions reduction target."

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities

"This is a key step in helping us plan for a zero-emission transit system, which is one of the priority actions in our Community Energy and Emissions Plan. Moving from a diesel to a zero-emission bus fleet is complex — working with experts in the field to develop a comprehensive strategy sets us up to succeed in implementing this incredibly important transition."

Her Worship Dawn Arnold, Mayor of Moncton

"Today's transit agencies and municipalities are ready to lead climate change action on roads and in their depots by electrifying complex systems. Fuelled by federal funding, we are proud to support and work with cities like Moncton in their efforts to meet net-zero goals. Canada needs it. And CUTRIC's feasibility studies will support Codiac Transpo in making informed decisions as it transitions to an electric fleet, contributing to the national goal of moving Canadians in a way that is safe, green, healthy and sustainable."

Josipa Petrunić, President & CEO, Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium.

Quick facts

• The Government of Canada is investing $120,000 for this project, and the City of Moncton is contributing $30,000.
• Launched in 2021, $2.75B Zero Emission Transit Fund offers support to public transit and school bus operators across Canada who are electrifying their fleets.
• The Government of Canada is investing $10 million through the Zero Emission Transit Fund over five years for CUTRIC to work with transit bus operators to complete planning work, and increase their level of readiness to transition to zero emission bus fleets.
• Acknowledging the impacts of climate change and the urgency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in March 2022, Moncton released its first comprehensive plan outlining the City's path to becoming net-zero. The Community Energy Emissions Plan identifies key challenges and details an action plan to achieve the City's targets of net-zero emissions by 2050.
• CUTRIC's mission is to support the commercialization of technologies through industry-led collaborative research, development, demonstration, and integration projects that bring innovative design to Canada's low-carbon smart mobility eco-system.

Associated links

Building Canada's public transit future: Healthy and sustainable modes of transportation for all
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/transit-transport/index-eng.html 

Zero Emission Transit Fund
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/zero-emissions-trans-zero-emissions/index-eng.html 

Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium
https://cutric-crituc.org/ 

Moncton's Community Energy Emissions Plan
https://www5.moncton.ca/docs/plans/Community_Energy_Emissions_Plan.pdf 

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

For more information (media only), please contact: Jean-Sébastien Comeau, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, 343-574-8116, [email protected]; Media Relations, Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Aloma Jardine, Manager of Strategic Communications, City of Moncton, 506-383-6214, [email protected]; Media Relations, The Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), Rachael D'Amore, Talk Shop Media, [email protected]