The Government of Canada and the City of Quinte West invest in transitioning to a full fleet of zero emission vehicles

QUINTE WEST, ON, Aug. 9, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, Mark Gerretsen, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, His Worship Jim Harrison, Mayor of Quinte West, and Josipa Petrunić, President and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), announced a joint investment of $125,000 to plan the transition to a full fleet of zero-emission vehicles for Quinte Transit.

Through this investment, the City of Quinte West and Quinte Transit will complete the necessary planning required to transition to a full fleet of zero-emission vehicles, including an evaluation of the economic, technological, and environmental aspects of deploying zero-emission public transit vehicles.

Zero-emission vehicles offer a quieter, more comfortable mode of transportation to transit users while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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

"The City of Quinte West is actively taking steps to minimize its carbon footprint, and I am enthusiastic about collaborating with them and Quinte Transit to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and tackle the ongoing climate crisis. A collective effort is required from everyone to reach the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050."

Mark Gerretsen, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"Thanks to the investments by the federal government and the City of Quinte West, the goal to transition Quinte Transit vehicles to zero-emissions is moving forward in a positive direction. This announcement is a great example of how federal and municipal governments can work together to deliver sustainable transit infrastructure that minimizes our community's environmental footprint."

His Worship Jim Harrison, Mayor of Quinte West

"Electrifying public transit isn't just a technological shift; it's a transformative journey towards a greener, more sustainable future. Quinte West is embracing this change, setting an example for others to follow, and playing its part in Canada's wider commitment to fostering innovation and making a positive impact on the environment. Together with municipalities like Quinte West, and support from the Government of Canada, we can drive progress, electrify change, and pave the way for a cleaner, brighter tomorrow."

Josipa Petrunić, President and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium

Quick facts

• The Government of Canada is contributing $100,000 to this project through the Zero Emission Transit Fund (ZETF), and Quinte Transit, through the City of Quinte West, is contributing $25,000.
• Quinte Transit is a non-profit organization which provides public transit for the City of Quinte West, including a transportation service for persons with special needs and seniors.
• The ZETF helps communities transition to zero emission transit and school buses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to Canada's net-zero emissions targets. By electrifying their bus fleets, communities are working toward a cleaner environment for our kids while creating jobs and supporting Canadian manufacturing.
• This Fund is closely coordinated with the Canada Infrastructure Bank's Zero Emission Bus Initiative through which the CIB has committed more than $1.5 billion to supporting the deployment of zero emission buses.
• The Government of Canada is investing $14.9 billion over the next eight years, starting in 2021, in reliable, fast, affordable, and clean public transit. This funding includes $3 billion per year in long-term, predictable federal public transit funding which will be available to support transit solutions beginning in 2026-27.
• The Zero Emission Transit Fund complements Canada's strengthened climate plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. The plan commits the federal government to providing permanent federal funding for public transit in support of making clean and affordable transportation options available in every community.
• The Government of Canada is investing $10 million through the Zero Emission Transit Fund over five years to help transit bus operators to complete planning work and increase their level of readiness to transition to zero emission bus fleets.
• 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 ecosystem.

Associated Links

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

Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html 

Canada Infrastructure Bank – Zero Emission Buses Initiative
https://cib-bic.ca/en/sectors/public-transit/ 

Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-on-eng.html 

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Web: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Kelly Ouimet, Director of Communications, 343-552-3420, [email protected]; Media Relations, Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Media relations, Corporate Communications, City of Quinte West, 613-392-2841 ext. 4700, [email protected]; Media Relations, The Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), Rachael D'Amore, Talk Shop Media, [email protected]