Thursday June 26, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 1:56 pm | Updated June 27, 2025]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
They look like fun and there is an incremental environmental benefit to electric buses in the BC Transit transportation service network in Greater Victoria.
But in taking a ride on one of the new electric buses in downtown Victoria yesterday, the transit experience is much the same including the noise of the compressor and the shift of the vehicle for riders, though apparently the noise level outside the bus offers less noise pollution to street-level and community.
The nice bright colours of the exterior and the comfortable seating on the interior deliver transit with flair.
Funding profile:
A total project cost is yet to be confirmed. But for now:
- The initial funding announcement in 2019 was for $79 million in joint funding to purchase 118 new buses.
- Then in July 2023 $395.5 million in joint funding was announced for 115 new buses and 134 charging points (federal $169,879,964; provincial $158,669,826; and recipients – local government partners $67,355,727). That was supported in part by the federal Zero Emission Transit Fund.
- Now, another $28.6 million in project funding for a total of 125 buses and associated infrastructure has been described as a combined amount from the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, with contributions from the Government of Canada, Province of BC, and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission.
Another 105 hybrid buses (diesel and electric) will also be purchased as announced in December 2024. Funding details to come.
Podium VIPs:
Announcing the delivery of new electric buses to the streets of Greater Victoria, BC Transit President and CEO Erinn Pinkerton was joined by new Victoria MP Will Greaves, BC Parliamentary Secretary for Transit George Anderson, and Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto (Vice Chair of the Victoria Regional Transit Commission) for an announcement on the east lawn beside the BC Legislature.
There was an official moment of ribbon cutting (printed banner that read: Electric Bus – Driving to a Sustainable Future) with big red-handled scissors.
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins (who served as CRD Board Chair in 2016 and 2017) also attended.
Marianne Alto (Vice Chair, Victoria Regional Transit Commission):
Marianne Alto as Vice Chair of the Victoria Regional Transit Commission highlighted the collaboration of the federal government.
Alto welcomed the gathered crowd of government officials and media.
With a busy city sidewalk behind her, residents and tourists passed along behind the podium.
Will Greaves, MP (Victoria):
Liberal MP Will Greaves (Victoria) called the announcement “a great day for Greater Victoria”. He emphasized that “infrastructure is the foundation of healthy and prosperous communities”.
Transit gets people to work, to schools and home. “It makes our communities appealing places where people can and want to live, play, and raise their families,” said Greaves.
“Modern sustainable infrastructure reduces harmful emissions and increases productivity, supports supply chains and propels Canada forward as a global leader in developing a cleaner economy,” the new Liberal MP said at this, his first official engagement in Victoria since being elected in April 2025.
Greaves said that the federal government has made investing in infrastructure a national priority. He addressed the crowd on Wednesday on behalf of Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson.
Greaves said that $9.5 million was provided through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to support the purchase of the long-range electric battery buses, two of which were parked at the curb on Government Street behind the podium for Wednesday afternoon’s announcement.
Greaves noted the importance of building infrastructure to support a growing population, part of which is to reduce commute times and reducing traffic congestion while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He correlated transit availability to housing supply.
George Anderson (Parliamentary Secretary for Transit):
Parliamentary Secretary for Transit, George Anderson, called the announcement very exciting for BC and Victoria. He addressed the crowd on behalf of Minister of Transportation and Transit Mike Farnworth. “Public transit in Victoria puts people, families and environment at the heart of the journey,” said Anderson.
Anderson said the buses are “quieter, cleaner, more energy efficient, and they help make our streets more peaceful while contributing to better health and air quality”. He highlighted typical transit users as parents taking kids to school, seniors heading to appointments, students heading to class and workers getting to their jobs.
“These buses are for you. They are part of our commitment to making transit more reliable, comfortable and sustainable for everyone,” the parliamentary secretary said.
Anderson noted the “strong partnerships” that BC Transit has developed with the federal, provincial, regional and local governments. Economy and environment both benefit.
“Public transit is powered by innovation and guided by a responsibility to the planet,” said Anderson, sayig it is an investment in people, progress and the needs of communities.
Erinn Pinkerton (BC Transit President and CEO):
As BC Transit President and CEO Erinn Pinkerton delivered her remarks at the outdoor podium she had to pause at least twice due to the noise level of diesel-powered buses on the street behind her. The new electric buses will begin to replace aging diesel buses at the end of their life cycle.
Pinkerton said that six years ago she “stood on this exact spot” to announce funding for the first-ever BC Transit electric buses.
The federal component of electric bus funding announcement was held on July 18, 2019 indoors at the BC Transit depot on Douglas Street attended by then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and then Premier John Horgan.
The reason for the delay of six or more years to see a start in delivery of new electric buses was given as the contractor going out of business. No mention of the COVID-19 pandemic phase of 2020-2021 which probably also slowed things down.
“Planning, enthusiasm and a willingness to accept change” have been the hallmarks of the long journey to make possible the new electric fleet. said Pinkerton.
125 new electric buses:
The promise in 2019 was for 118 new electric buses. The delivery is now for 125 buses, coming from two vendors: Nova Bus and New Flyer Canada. Buses will be delivered over the next few years.
Of the 125 new buses, 62 will be put into the Victoria Regional Transit system and the other 63 buses will be deployed across eight other regional transit systems across BC:
- VICTORIA – 62 buses
- OTHER BC REGIONAL SYSTEMS – 63 buses
Electric vehicles won’t yet be any of the double-decker buses until the technology improves, said Pinkerton. Diesel buses will still be used for double-decker high capacity buses; carbon emissions will be offset using HDRD (hydrogen drive renewable diesel) fuel to reduce emissions by up to 90%.
Over 100 hybrid diesel/electric buses will also be purchased.
Shifting to walking, biking or transit is helpful to the environment, said Pinkerton. She said that transit reduces the number of single-occupancy vehicles on the road which reduces congestion as well as reducing the number of air pollutants.
Where the buses will operate:
The 10 buses that will be active in Greater Victoria starting next week will be on these routes:
- 14 Craigflower
- 15 Esquimalt
- 27 Gordon Head
- 28 Majestic
Supporting infrastructure for charging the buses has been built as well.
Ten buses reduces carbon emissions by 95%, said Pinkerton, adding that’s the equivalent of 12,000 tonnes of CO2 over their lifetime. Each electric bus will save up to one tanker of diesel fuel per year (the equivalent of filling up a mid-size car 550 times).
By the end of 2027 the electric buses will be rolling in communities throughout BC. In addition to Victoria, the regional transit systems that will include electric buses are:
- Vancouver Island: Nanaimo
- Mainland: Whistler, Kelowna, Kamloops, Sunshine Coast, Powell River, and Nelson.
Buses will be charged at the depot closest to the routes being serviced. There are two depots: VICTORIA DEPOT (on Douglas Street in the Gorge area of downtown Victoria) and WEST SHORE DEPOT (on Leigh Road in Langford).
The shift to transit:
Bus transportation functions within a ‘point A to point B’ mindset. It will rarely serve the sector of the population that relies on vehicles for multiple activities in one day (whether for business, family activities, personal errands or recreation) but it there as a reliable option for getting people to key services and recreation destinations.
Public transit in cities primarily serves commuters with regular daily routes to work or school. It’s part of a growing urban landscape in Victoria.
In much bigger cities like Vancouver and Toronto, a bus service does carry a lot of people. When a bus runs with only a handful of riders, the cost of diesel to the environment has been counter-productive to the environmental cause.
Jobs in the transit sector:
Construction and operation of transit stations, bus operators, maintenance crews and small business owners are among the many people who find employment or income through the transit system.
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NEWS SECTIONS: BC TRANSIT | TRANSPORTATION & TRAVEL | SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND