Image Credit: Flickr / Government of BC

By Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Electric school buses driving change

May 12, 2021 | 9:54 AM

YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS B.C. are at the forefront of climate change action in their communities — urging us all to think more deeply about our environmental impacts and to act boldly, and we are listening. Our government is stepping up to take needed action to support a clean future for children and youth in communities across the province.

In the coming weeks, the Kamloops-Thompson School District will be rolling out one of B.C.’s first electric school buses. This historic shift towards clean transportation means a quieter, smoother ride for kids, with no carbon emissions. Each electric bus will save approximately 17 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year compared to a traditional diesel bus.

SD73 is one of 13 districts across the province that have purchased an electric school bus that is going into service this spring. By the end of this school year, a total of 18 electric buses will be in service, taking more than 1,300 students to school and back home again each day.

By investing in electric school buses, we are modelling a commitment to taking care of our shared environment. When students ride these buses every day, they will have a real life, tangible example of the kind of clean technology that will help us shift to a more sustainable future. Who knows? They might even be inspired to explore a career in B.C.’s booming clean energy industry.

Electric school buses will also save districts money over time. The cost of electricity is less than fuel, and the buses have fewer mechanical parts, meaning they require less maintenance and fewer repairs. Each school district that buys an electric bus this year also has access to provincial funding to set up the necessary charging stations.

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CleanBC is our strategy to protect our communities and set us on a path to a stronger, more sustainable future by reducing pollution and using more clean energy as we get around, heat homes and buildings, and power our economy. It’s a long-term plan that promotes collaboration across our government and our communities. We’ve set a target for vehicle fleets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030, and we’re supporting the shift towards electric buses to help school districts to meet this goal.

With about 1,300 diesel buses currently operated by school districts across the province, we know there is more work to be done. This is the first year that school districts have been able to purchase electric buses with funding from the Ministry of Education, and these 18 buses are just the beginning. More school districts have expressed interest in purchasing electric buses next year, and our government will again be providing supplemental funding to help with those costs.

By making clean-energy investments in infrastructure and transportation, B.C. school districts can help to be drivers of change and ensure children can live, play, and learn in clean and healthy environments for years to come.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.