CANADIAN ZEB DATABASE™
CANADA’S ZERO EMISSIONS BUS LANDSCAPE AND TRANSITIONING READINESS KNOWLEDGE SERIES REPORT #6 2025 (UPDATED)
Volume 1 - Number 6.2 Written by: Desmond Jaricha, Social Scientist: Low Carbon Smart Mobility Jessica Hanson, Project Manager: Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) Initiatives Holly Hixson, Program Manager: Strategic Membership Initiatives Dr. Josipa Petrunić, President & CEO Issued October 2026
Confidentiality and copyright © 2026 This document is for the sole use of the addressee and the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC). The document contains proprietary and confidential information that shall not be reproduced in any manner, or disclosed to or discussed with any other parties without the express written permission of the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium. Information in this document is to be considered the intellectual property of CUTRIC in accordance with Canadian copyright law. This Report was prepared by the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium. The material in it reflects the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium's best judgment, in the light of the information available to it, at the time of preparation. Any use which a third party makes of this Report, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, are the responsibility of such third parties. The Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this Report. Expansion of the Canadian ZEB Database™ was made possible through funding and support provided by Housing Infrastructure and Communities Canada.
Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) Consortium de recherche et d’innovation en transport urbain au Canada (CRITUC) 18 King Street East, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON M5C 1C4 info@cutric-crituc.org
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 2 3 4 5
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Table of contents List of figures List of tables List of acronyms Acknowledgments Executive summary Introduction and background Objectives Canadian ZEB Database™ design and development Canadian ZEB Database Survey™ Definitions and assumptions 5.1 ZEBs in Canada 5.2 Stages of transit electrification in Canada 5.3 Infrastructural data points 5.4 Electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) data points 5.5 Data sources 5.6 Additional data points in the Report 5.7 Data points not included in the Report Data analysis Current status of ZEBs in Canada 7.1 Current status of BEBs 7.2 Charging infrastructure for BEBs 7.3 Challenges of BEBs 7.4 Current status of FCEBs 7.5 Fuelling infrastructure 7.6 Challenges of FCEBs 7.7 No electrification plans 7.8 Funding sources Trends in transit electrification Pilot studies CNG to RNG (R-CNGs) buses HandyDART / ParaTransit / Specialized Transit On-demand Transport (ODT) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Successes and Recommendations 14.1 Successes in Zero-Emissions Transition 14.2 Key Lessons Learned Canadian ZEB Database™ challenges Next steps Conclusion References
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LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 16 Figure 17 Figure 18 Figure 19 Figure 20 Figure 21 Figure 22 Figure 23 Figure 24 Figure 25
ZEB Database™ components Stages of transit electrification Total ZEBs (July 2025) Number of ZEBs in all stages of transition by year ZEBs according to stages of transitioning (2023-2025) Total number of ZEBs by type (2021-2025) ZEBs according to stages of transitioning (July 2025) BEBs across all stages of transitioning by provinces/territories BEBs across all stages of transitioning by province 2023-2025 Number of BEBs at each stage of transition 2025 (July) BEBs across Canada by stages of transition (2023-2025) BEBs by vehicle manufacturer 2025 (July) BEBs by bus length 2025 (July) BEB charging infrastructure 2025 (July) BEB charging infrastructure suppliers 2025 (July) Distribution of chargers according to charging rates 2025 (July) Chargers by charging rate 2023-2025 FCEBs by province and territory (July 2025) FCEBs by provinces and territories (2023-2025) FCEBs by stage of transition FCEBs by bus length 2025 (July) Transit agencies with no electrification plans by province ZEB linear future trend across all stages (2018-2026) Linear trend analysis of in-service BEBs (2018-2026) Trend line - ZEBS in procurement, commissioning and in-service 2025 (July)
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LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Table 2 Table 3
Source of transit electrification funds 2025 (July) Zero emissions transitioning funds 2025 (July) Procurement process utilized by transit agencies 2025 (July)
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LIST OF ACRONYMS AV AZEHT BEB CCBF CIB CNG CUTRIC CUTZEB EIP EVID EV EVSE FCEB GHG HFC ICE ICIP MTMD NRFP ODT PAGITC R-CNGs RNG STM TCO TTC YRT ZEB ZEBI ZETF ZEVIP
Autonomous vehicle Alberta Zero Emission Hydrogen Transit Battery electric bus Canada Community Building Fund The Canada Infrastructure Bank Compressed natural gas Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium Canadian Urban Transit Zero Emissions Bus Joint Procurement Initiative Energy Innovation Program Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration Program Electric vehicle Electric vehicle supply equipment Fuel cell electric bus Greenhouse gas Hydrogen fuel cell Internal combustion engine Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable Negotiated request for proposals On-demand transport Programme d'aide gouvernementale aux infrastructures de transport collectif Renewable compressed natural gas Renewable natural gas Société de transport de Montréal Total cost of ownership Toronto Transit Commission York Region Transit Zero emissions bus Zero Emissions Bus Initiative Zero Emission Transit Fund Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CUTRIC would like to thank all the municipalities, transit agencies, crown corporations, private and public operators who participated in the 2025 Canadian ZEB Database Survey™.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Canadian ZEB Database™: Canada's Zero Emissions Bus Landscape and Transitioning Readiness Report #6.2 is part of the CUTRIC Knowledge Series publication program. It supersedes the corresponding Report #6 published in October 2025 and Report #5 published in October 2024. Report #6.2 highlights the state of zero emissions bus (ZEB) technology adoption up to July 2025. It documents the ZEB landscape across Canada from pronouncements and funding, as made by municipal councils and other jurisdictions responsible for transit, through to procurement and in service deployment on roads. This Report uses data from transit agencies, municipalities, crown corporations, private and public operators and the public domain to establish transit agencies and municipalities' overall readiness and progress toward decarbonizing their fleets. It covers the number, types, stages, provinces and manufacturers of ZEBs deployed across Canada. Finally, it highlights issues and challenges hindering decarbonization plans among Canadian transit agencies. Section One provides an update on ZEB deployment in Canada from July 2024 to July 2025. At the time of publication, there are 4,102 ZEBs at various transition stages across the country. This number is made up of 98 per cent battery electric buses (BEBs) and two per cent hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs). Data collected from over 60 transit agencies show a steady progression in electrification. Some agencies have moved from planning to procurement and commissioning and the number of BEBs in service rose 32 per cent (from 343 to 478) between 2024 and 2025. However, the total number of reported ZEBs across all stages of transition declined 30 per cent from 5,537 in 2024 to 4,102 in 2025. This is partly due to data adjustments and rescoping of decarbonization plans among transit, which has been frequently triggered in the past year by the inflationary effects caused by U.S. tariffs against Canada and budget uncertainty. Section Two highlights the current implementation status of BEBs. Quebec leads the nation with the largest number of BEBs across all stages (1,534) followed by Ontario (1,405), British Columbia (546), and Alberta (326). New participation from the Town of Tecumseh in Ontario shows growing national reach. Most BEBs remain in the 40-foot category and Nova Bus and NFI Group (New Flyer) together dominate procurement. Transit agencies also report growing use of shorter 20 to 30 foot buses, especially for on‑demand and specialized services. As of July 2025, there are 509 charging dispensers reported in-service. These charging dispensers are made up of 106 pantograph charging dispensers and 403 plug-in charging dispensers. ABB and Siemens remain leading suppliers of charging infrastructure. Major challenges around BEB implementation uncovered include high capital costs, parts availability (e.g., post‑Proterra bankruptcy), depot capacity constraints and longer-than-expected infrastructure timelines. Section Three discusses FCEBs, which remain limited in adoption but are gaining cautious interest. Transit agencies report 76 FCEBs across all transition stages in four provinces: Nova Scotia (47), Ontario (14), Alberta (six) and Manitoba (nine). Most are still in feasibility or funding stages, with only one in regular service. Notable pilot projects include Mississauga’s MiWay FCEB demonstration, York Region’s plan to electrify its bus fleet supported by $76 million (2024 CAD) in federal ZETF funding and the Edmonton–Strathcona County hydrogen trial. Challenges remain
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such as high upfront costs, limited hydrogen fuelling network and only one major Canadian FCEB supplier. Recent federal and provincial investments, like Ontario doubling its Hydrogen Innovation Fund to $30 million (2025 CAD), signal growing policy support for infrastructure development. Section Four reports on transit agencies without electrification plans. Fifteen transit agencies, mainly in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and New Brunswick, indicate no immediate plans to transition. Surveyed agencies cite high capital costs, limited grid capacity, lack of charging infrastructure, vehicle range concerns, uncertainty about battery lifespan and performance in extreme weather and operational complexity as barriers. Some agencies are conducting pilots to evaluate feasibility before deciding. Section Five covers funding and procurement. According to the latest data drawn from 32 transit agencies in the 2025 survey, a layered funding approach remains the norm. Specifically, all 32 agencies report leveraging federal funds, 21 agencies report accessing provincial funds and 27 agencies indicate municipal funding contributions. The most common funding programs remain the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) and the Zero Emission Transit Fund (ZETF), often combined with financing from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB). New funding models include joint procurement and partnerships with utilities. Procurement processes used include joint procurement, city/transit bids and tenders and negotiated request for proposals (NRFPs), offering flexibility depending on agency size and market conditions. Section Six analyzes trends in transit electrification. Zero emissions buses across all transition stages are approaching the Government of Canada’s goal of 5,000 buses by 2026. However, only 478 BEBs and one FCEB are in regular service in 2025. A linear progression analysis indicates that there will be around 500 BEBs in-service by 2026, with around 6,000 ZEBs expected across all stages of transition. Achieving the federal target is unlikely and there is a need for accelerated procurement, robust supply chains, greater funding certainty and mitigation of new external risks, such as potential U.S. tariff threats that could negatively impact cross-border bus deliveries. Section Seven discusses pilot studies, which remain critical for real-world testing. Eight agencies are running pilots utilizing a total of 14 buses, which are composed of mostly 40-foot BEBs and some 30-foot buses. Pilots in Mississauga, Edmonton, Strathcona County, TransLink (BC) and other regions test both BEBs and FCEBs, generating data to inform larger deployments. Section Eight highlights the growth of non‑traditional electrification:
• Paratransit & specialized services: TransHelp (Peel Region) is procuring two 28‑foot
electric paratransit buses; Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) announced its Wheel‑Trans Green Bus Program. Other agencies are in early planning for such initiatives.
• On‑demand transit (ODT): Agencies in Saint John, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Oakville, Orangeville and others report small electric buses (mostly 20 to 30 ft Karsan e‑Jest) in feasibility, procurement or service mode.
• Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): New announcements (Ottawa, Vancouver/TransLink, Winnipeg)
show plans to deploy BEBs on dedicated BRT corridors, although survey data remain limited.
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