Government of Canada, city of Saskatoon to provide joint funding of C$420,000 for electrification of Saskatoon Transit’s bus fleet

The government of Canada and the city of Saskatoon will provide joint funding of C$420,000 (US$308,000) to plan for the electrification of Saskatoon Transit’s bus fleet.

With the funding, Saskatoon Transit will create a five-phase strategy that will review the costs, assess the risks and advantages and identify the infrastructure and internal resources needed to transition to a low-carbon fleet. This plan will guide the city of Saskatoon’s efforts to meet its goal of electrifying its entire fleet.

The project aligns with Saskatoon’s Low Emissions Community Plan, a long-term roadmap for the city to achieve its greenhouse gas reduction targets.

“This important funding will allow Saskatoon to take crucial steps towards modernizing and electrifying our bus fleet. The recent electric bus pilot project showed just some of the possible benefits that can be realized through rapidly evolving technology in the field of transportation. Moving people efficiently and reducing costs while also taking steps to meet targets from our Low Emissions Community Plan will help to ensure a modern and sustainable public transportation system for residents of Saskatoon,” said Charlie Clark, mayor of Saskatoon.

The government of Canada is investing C$336,000 (US$246,000) for the project, and the city of Saskatoon is contributing C$84,000 (US$61,000). The government of Canada is investing C$10 million (US$7.34 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.

The city of Saskatoon and Saskatoon Transit is partnering with the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) on the electrification of its fleet. 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.

“At CUTRIC, we know that sustainability is a continuous journey. We are committed to taking significant strides toward a net zero future, and our collaborative effort with the city of Saskatoon and Saskatoon Transit is a testament to that. This project is not just about modernizing fleets; it’s about taking responsibility for the future of our communities and the health and well-being of our citizens. We’re proud to be part of history in Saskatchewan,” said Josipa Petrunić, president and CEO, CUTRIC.