Toronto, Ontario – In this week’s electric and autonomous vehicle report, the federal government invests nearly three billion dollars into converting public transit systems to electric, FedEx announces its plan to fully convert its fleet to electric by 2040 and more funding makes its way to the hydrogen fuel cell industry to help spread awareness.
Transit Transition
Emissions-free travel may be an elite luxury no longer as Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Catherine McKenna announced that the federal government would be spending $2.75 billion over the next five years on converting Canadian public transit systems to electric options.
This funding is part of an eight year, $14.9 billion public transit investment recently outlined by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and is meant to support municipalities, transit authorities and school boards.
“Better public transit, cleaner air, quieter streets, and a planet safe for our kids – that’s the goal of our investment in zero-emission buses across Canada. By making this investment, we’re tackling climate change while creating good jobs and supporting manufacturing right now, here at home. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities,” said McKenna.
Delivering the Future
Following the trend set by its competition, FedEx has announced the commitment to deploy only electric vehicles by the year 2040, in the effort to curb the company’s environmental impact.
The company has committed an initial investment of over $2 billion to help achieve this goal through a combination of vehicle electrification, sustainable energy and carbon sequestration.
“We have a responsibility to take bold action in addressing climate challenges,” said Frederick W. Smith , chairman and CEO of FedEx Corp.
“This goal builds on our long-standing commitment to sustainability throughout our operations, while at the same time investing in long-term, transformational solutions for FedEx and our entire industry.”
The Smartest Water
Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, Seamus O’Regan Jr. announced a $46,000 investment into the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (CHFCA) to promote the benefits of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV).
The aim of this round of federal funding is to help spread awareness of the efficacy of hydrogen fuel cell technology in industries such as public transportation and trucking.
“Fuel cell electric vehicles have a role to play in building our low-carbon future, which is why we are committed to ensuring Canadians have the information they need about greener options to make informed decisions when choosing their next vehicle. This investment will help create the more sustainable future Canadians want and deserve,” said Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Jonathan Wilkinson.
