Charging points coming to Powell River Regional Transit System

More communities in British Columbia will benefit from new electric buses and charging infrastructure.

Powell River Regional Transit System was mentioned as one of the recipients of new electric bus charging points in a BC Transit media release on May 6, along with the lower Sunshine Coast, Chilliwack, Kamloops, Kelowna, Regional District of Nanaimo, Nelson, Victoria and Whistler.

BC Transit expects to install approximately 134 new electric bus charging points over the next two years in the nine communities. Transit electrification infrastructure projects are getting started, according to the release, and bus allocations to each community will be confirmed as the projects progress.

More than five dozen electric buses are on order from two pre-qualified suppliers, Nova Bus and New Flyer. BC Transit anticipates that the 66 buses will arrive incrementally starting in early 2025 and completing mid-2026.

In addition, BC Transit will be procuring more electric buses to support previously announced funding and will share specific details in future announcements. Funding totalling $395.5 million for buses and infrastructure was announced in July 2023.

Costs are shared with the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia and local government partners.

In total, BC Transit expects to procure 115 new battery electric buses under this funding. Funding from the Government of Canada is being provided through the Zero Emission Transit Fund and the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

“These projects advance BC Transit’s objectives to lower greenhouse gas emissions,” the release stated, “and are part of the organization’s commitment to meet goals outlined in the Province of British Columbia’s CleanBC roadmap.”

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