Funding to boost zero-emission bus manufacturing in Winnipeg

The federal government is investing $15 million for NFI Group to expand operations and fully manufacture New Flyer transit buses in Winnipeg, Man.

The investment is to help NFI Group competitively respond to growing demand for Canadian-made zero-emission transit buses, adding hundreds of skilled jobs to the company’s Canadian operations with more opportunities for local suppliers, and growing Manitoba’s role in the green Prairie economy.

“Today’s announcement is a major milestone for NFI as it allows us to complete full buses in Canada for the first time in nearly 15 years. I would like to thank our partners at the Province of Manitoba and PrairiesCan for their commitment and financial support that will help enhance Manitoba’s Green economy,” Paul Soubry, president and CEO of NFI, said Oct. 25. “These funds will be strategically invested alongside our own capital to expand our production capacity and increase our zero-emissions transit bus offerings, which will create new jobs and help create more livable North American communities.”

By increasing bus manufacturing capacity in NFI Group’s Winnipeg-based facilities, Canadian public transit authorities will be able to purchase more Canadian-made zero-emission buses to address their fleet renewal needs. The funding will help NFI Group meet Canadian standards and will support the development of workforce training specific to zero-emission vehicle manufacturing including a proposed “Zero-Emission Pre-Apprenticeship Program.”

In 2023, the Canadian government dedicated $100 million of existing PrairiesCan funding over three years to support projects aligned with priorities of the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, which include growing the manufacturing sector and capitalizing on clean electricity to seize new opportunities in the net-zero future.

“Demand for zero-emission transit buses in our core markets is at record levels, driven by the transition of transit fleets to zero emission buses in Canadian cities to meet national emission reduction goals,” said Chris Stoddart, president, North American Bus and Coach. “Not only will this project allow for full Canadian bus builds, but it will also free up U.S. capacity, to service even more U.S. customers across our network.”