Ottawa, N.L. help Metrobus with 17 more electric and hybrid buses
CBC
Money from the federal and provincial governments will add 17 more electric and hybrid buses to the Metrobus fleet, allowing the company to retire diesel vehicles and cut down on emissions.
It brings the new total number for Metrobus to 25. Eight hybrid buses were announced in April 2023, three of which are currently operating.
St. John's East MP Joanne Thompson said the federal government is spending $22.8 million.
"The investment that we're seeing today really does align the accessible need for people to be able to use public transit in a realistic way," Thompson said Thursday.
"We really need to catch up with the rest of the world around really understanding our own footprint and how we can navigate in our community in a way that really supports [and] enhances the community, but also helps us stay where we need to be in climate emissions."
The provincial government is adding $16.7 million to the cause and Metrobus will also receive more than $13 million over the next decade from funding through the Canada Public Transit Fund, Thompson said.
St. John's Mayor Danny Breen said the electric and hybrid buses will likely be on the road by the end of 2025, as the Metrobus depot needs to be renovated to accommodate bus charging stations and maintenance of the new buses.
Ridership has seen a sharp increase in the years following the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Breen said. He said ridership numbers are up 58 per cent from pre-pandemic statistics, and the city expects to hit 5.2 million total rides by the end of the year.
The rising cost of living plays a factor in that, he said, but investments to make transit more accessible have also helped.
"People live in a city where they feel they can work, where they can raise a family, and where they feel they belong. And transit systems help with that belonging and letting people operate within the community," he said.
St. John's city council increased funding to Metrobus by $598,000 in its 2025 budget announced earlier this month.
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