More than 1,200 new electric buses coming to Quebec roads

Quebec Transport Minister Genevieve Guilbault speaks in front of an electric bus made by Nova Bus, in St-Eustache, Que., on Monday, May 8, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Stephane Blais

About 1,200 more electric public transit buses are coming to Quebec roads -- and they'll be manufactured in the province.

Quebec City and Ottawa announced the purchase of 1,229 electric buses Monday.

Based in St-Eustache, Nova-Bus won the tender issued in April 2022 and will be responsible for manufacturing.

This is the "largest electric bus acquisition project in North America," according to the two governments. Quebec will invest about $1.1 billion, while Ottawa will contribute about $780 million.

Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault and Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities Minister Dominic LeBlanc made the announcement in St-Eustache.

The funding will allow ten public transit agencies to convert their fleets to electric buses.

The vehicles, which have a range of at least 300 kilometres, will be delivered to the Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, Quebec City, Outaouais, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Lévis and Saguenay transit agencies, as well as the exo transit system in the greater Montreal area.

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) will be the project's agent on behalf of the other transit agencies and will be responsible for procuring the buses.

The governments had required a Canadian content level of 25 per cent and that the final assembly be carried out in Canada.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 8, 2023