THUNDER BAY — City councillors will review a report on electrifying the city's fleet, including transit vehicles, at Monday's meeting.
During an interview with media on Friday, capital facilities construction manager Kelvin Jankowski said the zero-emissions transmission plan would significantly reduce greenhouse gases produced by city vehicles.
Jankowski said the change would result in a reduction of 60,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which equates to 90 per cent of the emissions from the transit fleet.
"The full fleet electrification, at least the vehicles we're tackling here between transit and priority one vehicles, will take place over the next 20 years to be completed fleet by 2044.
"The costs over and above the existing cost of fleet renewal is at least $73.9 million."
Priority one vehicles are those that are available on the market, such as ice resurfacers, pickup trucks, and forklifts. Vehicles like ambulances would be the last to be replaced.
Jankowski outlined what the city could see in savings once all the vehicles are switched over.
"So right now, in current dollars, that looks like around a $2 million per year savings. As inflation is applied over the years, that would change."
This is the first report city council will see, and Jankowski's team will be available on July 15 to answer councillors' questions.
In total, the city wants to work toward replacing 144 vehicles in priority one, including 48 transit buses and 27 para-transit buses.
In the phased approach, funding for phase one has already been secured for the current total cost of $22.6M that spans 2024 to 2050 for total vehicle replacement.
The city hopes to have all vehicles replaced by 2044, which coincides with the city's Transit Zero Emissions Transition Plan and the Municipal Fleet Zero Emissions Transition Plan.
Katie Nicholls is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Newswatch
