Mississauga will be First City in Ontario to Pilot Hydrogen Buses
Hydrogen fuel cell electric buses will be tested in Ontario by MiWay. New Flyer Industries are being considered for the task of supplying the buses that will be used in this ground-breaking project. The pilot will feature 20 buses and will add to efforts to position Ontario as a leader in hydrogen.
The City of Mississauga is set to become Ontario’s first municipality to pilot hydrogen fuel cell electric buses within its transit fleet. MiWay, Mississauga’s transit agency, is launching a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus project to move towards more sustainable public transit. Backed by the Federal Zero Emission Transit Fund (ZETF), which granted approval for funding in December 2022, the City is on track to meet the project deadline of December 31, 2025, and is looking to purchase 10 hydrogen fuel cell electric buses.
In July, the City issued a Request for Information (RFI) for Hydrogen Fuel Supply Options, to secure a reliable hydrogen fuel supply. The “Hydrogen-as-a-Service” (HaaS) model aims to minimise operational risks by outsourcing hydrogen production, distribution, and dispensing infrastructure operations. There were nine submissions are under review from organisations interested in supplying hydrogen to the City. These proposals are currently under evaluation. The cost of hydrogen fuel will be requested and covered within the 2026 Operating Budget.
Sourcing and funding for the new buses
New Flyer Industries, from Winnipeg, is the only manufacturer in Canada that produces hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs). A Council request has been made to ask for approval to source these buses from New Flyer, exclusively.
Around $20 million is being set aside to purchase 10, 40-foot hydrogen fuel cell electric buses. Up to $10 million is expected to be reimbursed through the ZETF, which covers 50 per cent of eligible project costs.
MiWay has requested an extra $500,000 to upgrade important facilities, including the Malton Transit and Central Parkway Body sites to support the new hydrogen buses.
MiWay is Ontario’s third-largest municipal transit service provider. Nearly 60 per cent of MiWay’s buses are hybrid-electric. These buses resulted in a 30 per cent reduction in diesel fuel consumption per year and 5,134,000 kilograms (5,134 tonnes) of avoided GHG emissions per year.
Ontario prioritising hydrogen
Recently the City became an associate member of the Canadian Hydrogen Association. This a national, non-profit association that represents industry, academia, end-users and other stakeholders in Canada’s hydrogen sector. The City is also working to establish a hydrogen network (hub) that will bring together key players to promote and create a local hydrogen ecosystem (e.g. fuel, fuelling infrastructure, equipment, trucks and buses) to reduce GHG emissions reductions. The hub will also drive technological advancements, increase local jobs and grow the economy.
With Council’s approval, MiWay will become the first transit agency in Ontario to pilot this innovative hydrogen FCEB technology, setting the stage for transit fleet decarbonization and positioning itself as an industry leader.
