Belleville will have four new buses on city streets in 2021.
At its meeting on Monday, city council approved buying the buses at a cost of $2.4 million.
The cost to the city is $888,000, under a federal-provincial agreement.
Transit Chair Councillor Bill Sandison says the city is also working on a parallel plan to “electrify” the fleet.
Sandison says the electric buses cost about a third more each than diesel buses.
He added, “We also would have the capital costs of expanding and retrofitting the city garage for the electric buses, plus bringing sufficient hydro into the facility to charge the buses.”
Sandison points out the new buses, which may become five, will pave the way for improved transit in the city, including serving Thurlow Ward.
The purchase is under the Metrolinx Transit Procurement Initiative which has saved city taxpayers nearly $12 million since 2015.
