Infrastructure Canada Launches Zero Emission Transit Fund Program

August 26, 2021

Through the Zero Emission Transit Fund, the Government of Canada is investing $2.75 billion over five years, starting in 2021, to support public transit and school bus operators plan for electrification, support the purchase of 5,000 zero emission buses and build supporting infrastructure, including charging infrastructure and facility upgrades.

“Canada is on fire. The world is heating up. And people are anxious about their future and the survival of their children,” commented Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) President & C.E.O., Josipa Petrunic. “This program is an absolutely necessary step in the right direction. We need to start launching technologies that save humanity from itself. This program will get clean technologies on the roads sooner rather than later, and it should inspire a generation of innovators to come up with ideas for even lower-emissions mobility in the near future.”

What types of projects will be funded under the Zero Emission Transit Fund?

There are two Zero Emission Transit Fund components under which projects are eligible for funding:

• Planning and Design Projects: Eligible projects include studies, modelling and feasibility analysis that will support the development of future larger scale capital projects.
• Capital Projects: Eligible capital projects include buses, charging and refueling infrastructure, and other ancillary infrastructure needs.

Who can apply?

Eligible recipients under the Zero Emission Transit Fund include provinces and territories; municipal or regional governments; transit agencies; public bodies (e.g., school boards); private-sector school bus operators; and private accessible transit transportation providers (e.g., paratransit services).

Of note, Infrastructure Canada is in ongoing discussions with the government of Québec with respect to the program’s implementation in the Province given the Loi sur le ministère du Conseil exécutif (M-30).

How will Infrastructure Canada select projects for funding?

Infrastructure Canada will review submitted applications, and applicants will be selected based on their eligibility as well as the assessment against the merit criteria established for the Zero Emission Transit Fund. Further details are provided within the Applicant Guide.

Of note, Infrastructure Canada is in ongoing discussions with the government of Québec with respect to the program’s implementation in the Province given the Loi sur le ministère du Conseil exécutif (M-30).

How will this funding work with existing transit-focused funding under the Investing in Canada plan?

The Zero Emission Transit Fund is a separate fund that builds on existing programming such as the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. Infrastructure Canada will continue to work directly with provinces and territories to review and approve funding for prioritized projects under Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

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