The Alberta government is providing funding for new transit projects, including alternative fueling.
A total of 17 municipal transit systems will share funding from the new Alberta Community Transit Fund, which was launched in August 2018 and provides C$215 million over four years – C$141.4 million of which is through the Climate Leadership Plan.
Newly selected projects include the purchase of 15 new light rail vehicles and 52 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses in Calgary, as well as a dedicated bus lane and 28 new electric buses in Edmonton. The County of Red Deer will also purchase up to two CNG buses.
“This funding is critical to our long-term plans for Calgary’s transit system,” comments Naheed Nensi, Calgary’s mayor. “Adding light rail vehicles and CNG buses to our fleet will help ensure our system is resilient into the future. This is great news for Calgary.”
“Ongoing investments in transit are critical for a big city like ours that continues to grow,” adds Don Iveson, mayor of Edmonton. “Two big wins for us include being able to move forward with relieving car congestion for one of the fastest-growing areas of the city while also being able to green our bus fleet. We are grateful to the Government of Alberta for recognizing these pressing needs that will both enhance the opportunities for Edmontonians to get around in our city and contribute to our climate resilience.”
A complete list of the funded projects can be found here.
