Airdrie will be one of several Alberta cities participating in a half-million-dollar project aimed at studying the deployment of zero-emission buses.

The Alberta Municipality Constellation project is a comprehensive study to inform the procurement and deployment of zero-emission buses for nine transit agencies in Alberta through the assessment of economic, technical, and environmental elements associated with this transition.

The investment combines federal government funding, as well as funding from FortisAlberta and the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC).

"The project will guide local transit agencies in planning for the integration of zero-emission buses in the coming years and provide a modelling study of regional energy requirements to ensure needs can be met. Once completed, the results will be shared with all participating communities, extending the benefits of this important project."

Airdrie Mayor, Peter Brown underlined that the city's partnership with FortisAlberta and other municipalities for the electric bus feasibility study reflects the city's commitment to a more sustainable future.

"We're grateful for the support from Infrastructure Canada's Zero Emission Transit Fund. Airdrie is on the path to sustainable and efficient public transportation."

Curtis Eck, Vice President of Engineering with FortisAlberta added that the organization is committed to assisting municipalities within our service area in their efforts to decarbonize their transit fleets.

"FortisAlberta will evaluate and mitigate challenges related to grid capacity and voltage constraints associated with municipal fleet decarbonization. This initiative will facilitate the efficient and effective utilization of current distribution infrastructure, ensuring a sustainable transition to greener transit solutions.”

The study, led by CUTRIC and FortisAlberta, is conducted in collaboration with local municipalities and the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE). Once completed, the results will be shared with all participating communities, extending the benefits of this important project.

The total investment for the project is $550,092, with the Government of Canada contributing $440,074 to this project through the Zero Emission Transit Fund (ZETF). FortisAlberta is contributing $110,018. 

Through an agreement with CUTRIC, the Government of Canada is investing $10 million through the ZETF over five years to help transit bus operators complete planning work and increase their level of readiness to transition to zero-emission bus fleets.

Nine communities in Alberta are part of this study, which will include Banff/Bow Valley, Fort Saskatchewan, Hinton, Leduc, Rocky View, Spruce Grove, Strathcona County, and Whitecourt. The study will help guide these communities in planning for a transition to zero-emission buses.

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