Powering Up: The Path to Electric School Bus Adoption in Canada

A Road to a Greener Future

Published February 4, 2025

Canada’s journey toward 100% electric school buses (ESBs) by 2040 is advancing — but still isn’t moving at full speed. Despite some progress in the past year, the pace is far from what is needed, and persistent barriers like high costs and infrastructure challenges still stand in the way of more sustainable student transportation.

To drive this critical transition, the Canadian Electric School Bus Alliance has unveiled its latest report, “Powering Up: The Path to Electric School Bus Adoption in Canada.” This comprehensive analysis outlines the benefits of ESBs, digs into the challenges holding us back, and lays out bold, actionable steps to overcome them. Whether you’re a policymaker, operator, or advocate, this is a blueprint for electrifying Canada’s school transportation system.  

Keep reading for key takeaways from this report.

 

Benefits of ESB transition

ESBs reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health by lowering air pollution, and offer long-term economic benefits through lower energy and maintenance costs, job creation, and new revenue opportunities. They also operate quietly, benefiting drivers and children – particularly those with sensory sensitivities – and improving safety by making it easier for the driver to communicate with passengers. Beyond these advantages, ESBs also support climate action and help to ease eco-anxiety among youth.

Canadians strongly support the transition to ESBs, with 78% expressing concern about the health impacts of diesel school bus emissions on children, 83% advocating for a shift to 100% ESBs by 2040, and 77% backing an ESB sales mandate.

Context of school bus fleets electrification

Currently, Canada has over 1,930 ESBs, which represents a doubling from 900 last year and makes up 3.9% of the total fleet. Quebec leads with more than 1,606 ESBs, followed by P.E.I. (107), B.C. (158), Ontario (25), N.B. (22), Alberta (around 5-10), Newfoundland & Labrador (1), and Saskatchewan (1). The jurisdictions currently lacking ESBs include Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. 

Despite this progress, it falls short of the nearly 2,900 annual electric bus additions that CESBA advocates for to achieve a fully electric fleet by 2040, aligning with Canada’s net-zero objectives.

Some progress has been made in advancing ESB adoption. Those districts championing this transition with Canada`s first ESBs have been working out the kinks with this new technology and paving the way for others to follow. Most drivers prefer ESBs over diesel models, once they’ve experienced the benefits. To cut infrastructure costs and keep drivers satisfied, some jurisdictions are installing home-based charging stations. Provinces like P.E.I. and B.C. are introducing new high-voltage electrical and medium- & heavy-duty vehicles (MHDV) training programs. Meanwhile, advancements in charging technology—like power delivery adjustments based on battery state—are enhancing safety, optimizing battery performance, and improving software compatibility for seamless system integration.

Canada’s push to electrify school buses has seen certain provinces take bold actions with clear targets and dedicated funding programs. Here’s how B.C., P.E.I., and Quebec lead the way in accelerating ESB adoption:

  • British Columbia:
    • Target: Aligning with California, all new trucks and buses to be electric by 2036.
    • Funding Programs:
      • Clean BC Go Electric Rebates: Up to $100,000 for Type C/D ESBs, $75,000 for Type A (ending 2024 for public districts).
      • BC Hydro EV Fleet Ready: Covers 50% of fleet/infrastructure assessments (up to $10,000) and electrical upgrades.
      • Clean BC Fleet Charging: Up to $75,000 for direct current fast chargers (DCFC), and up to 50% for Level 2 chargers.
      • Additional support for Indigenous communities and businesses.
  • Prince Edward Island:
    • Target: 50% of school buses electrified by 2027, 40% of registered MHDVs decarbonized by 2040.
    • Funding Programs:
      • Joint federal-provincial investment of $40.3M, including $6M from Infrastructure Canada.
      • Approximately 100 ESBs in service, co-funded by provincial and federal governments.
  • Quebec:
    • Target: 65% of school buses to be electric by 2030; all new school buses electric starting 2021.
    • Funding Programs:
      • Programme d’électrification du transport scolaire (PETS [School Bus Electrification Program]): Up to $150,000 per ESB ($175,000 for larger battery buses).
      • Transportez Vert: $150,000/year for DCFC stations and fleet electrification support.
      • Charging station grants: 75% of costs (up to $30,000 for DCFCs, $10,000 for Level 2 chargers).
      • Additional Ministry of Education grants per ESB.

Main barriers and CESBA’s recommendations

The transition to ESBs in Canada faces a number of challenges which include the following:

  • High cost of ESBs – In Quebec, for instance, prices are around $400,000, resulting in a net expense of $250,000 after subsidies, which is about $100,000 more than diesel buses. 
  • Limitations of the federal Zero-Emission Transit Fund (ZETF) – Due to high demand and a 2024 budget reduction from $2.75 billion to $2.4 billion, the ZETF is insufficient to fulfill all applications.
  • Delays in federal funding — Some jurisdictions, like P.E.I., have been forced to purchase diesel buses instead of ESBs, while operators in other areas remain without ESBs despite applying for funding years ago.
  • Limited charging infrastructure, installation delays, connectivity issues, terrain, and other challenges present adoption barriers for remote and Indigenous communities
  • Limited battery range—This remains a challenge, particularly in rural and remote areas, restricting longer trips such as school outings due to factors like headwinds, uphill driving, and frequent stops.
  • Driver hesitancy—Many drivers are hesitant to switch to ESBs at first, due to concerns about battery life and unfamiliarity with new technology.

The following new recommendations complement those made in the previous edition:

  • Allocate $375 million in bridge funding specifically for ESBs, alongside an additional $2.5 billion designated for ESBs from 2027 to 2032. 
  • Establish comprehensive standards for the installation, maintenance, and compatibility of charging infrastructure for ESBs at schools and bus depots. 
  • Develop a standardized template for school boards and transportation consortia to integrate ESB requirements into their requests for proposals with fleet operators, ensuring clarity in procurement. 
  • Expand Ontario’s Skills Development Fund to include ESB manufacturing, maintenance, and repair training, while adjusting the Transportation Services Allocation to boost ESB funding, support driver incentives, and enhance training. 
  • Invest in research on ESBs’ feasibility and benefits, standardize data collection, and promote information sharing among school transportation providers.

With this roadmap, CESBA seeks to fast-track the shift to ESBs, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future for school transportation in Canada.

Picture of Henri Chevalier

Henri Chevalier

Sustainable Mobility Advisor
Équiterre

To receive our newsletter
Stay informed about our activities and get the latest news and resources on electric school buses through our bi-monthly newsletter.