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City of Ottawa Zero-Emission Buses

Sector(s)
Public Transit
Location(s)
Ottawa, Ontario
Participation
$380 million (financial close)
Partner(s)
City of Ottawa, OC Transpo

One of the largest conversions of public transit vehicles in Canada

The City of Ottawa, via OC Transpo, will be procuring up to 446 zero-emission buses.

Fast facts

Reduce 100% of public transit vehicle emissions by 2040
Quieter and higher-quality transit for users
Lower maintenance costs for owners
Sustainable alternative to diesel buses

The electrification of vehicles is key to the City of Ottawa’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 100% by 2040 and demonstrates the City’s commitment to lead by example.

Zero-Emission Buses (ZEBs) are quieter and are expected to have lower maintenance and fuelling costs compared to equivalent GHG-emitting vehicles. The buses contribute to Ottawa’s shift toward more sustainable transportation, lowering its carbon footprint while providing a high-quality transit service for users.

Our investment will help finance a portion of the ZEB purchase price. Repayment will come from cost savings from the ZEB as measured against costs of an equivalent GHG-emitting bus. The investment supports Canada’s economy by creating new manufacturing opportunities and spin off economic benefits across the supply chain.

Benefits of CIB involvement

Our Zero-Emission Buses Initiative assists transit agencies and school bus operators in transitioning their fleets to modern, environmentally friendly vehicles. Our financing, in the form of direct loans and innovative aggregators, can cover the higher upfront capital cost of ZEBs versus diesel buses, with repayment coming only from actual savings generating by operating ZEBs instead of diesel buses. We enable partners to take advantage of flexible financing options to modernize their bus fleets on an accelerated basis.

Learn more

An electric city bus outside of an Ottawa transit garage
City of Ottawa

Switching from diesel buses to battery-electric is one of the most impactful actions we can take to meet Ottawa’s goal of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from City operations by 100 per cent by 2040. This historic investment in zero-emission transit brings us one a step closer to achieving our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning Ottawa into a clean, renewable and resilient city.

Former Mayor Jim Watson
Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium

Amazing news out of the City of Ottawa today, as they set the wheels in motion for the largest conversion of public transit vehicles in Canada to date!

Via X(Twitter)
Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc.

Ottawa’s energy future isn’t just about being green, it’s about being sustainable. Our role at Hydro Ottawa is two-fold; to build the reliable electric infrastructure necessary to support our City’s commitment for a smart energy future; and to bring electricity into the 21st century by making sure the energy we use is generated with clean, renewable power. The electrification of our public transit system is critical for our city and nation’s capital to meet its energy and climate targets, and we are proud to play a part in helping achieve those goals.

Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer