Victoria hopes to have a fully electric bus fleet by 2030

The Capital Region will work toward transitioning to a full electric bus fleet by 2030, after a unanimous vote by Victoria Regional Transit Commission board members Tuesday morning.

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps put forward the motion to request the preparation of a business case and implementation plan for the project. The commission also voted unanimously to send a letter to BC Transit indicating Greater Victoria’s desire to be a pilot community for transitioning to a fully electric fleet.

Helps said today’s decision feels like a victory.

“We’ve shown leadership in our motion today and I think it makes sense, especially given [we are] the capital city,” she said. “Somebody’s gotta be a pilot community, and it may as well be us.”

Last month, BC Transit announced a trial run for a 40-foot electric bus in Victoria starting in January 2018. It’s the first time a battery-powered bus will be scheduled into regular service.