$10.4 MILLION FOR NEW CLEAN-TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL BUSES

VICTORIA – The Province will provide $10.4 million in funding to enable school districts around the province to purchase 86 new clean-diesel school buses, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced today.

“This funding will enable school districts to buy new clean-technology buses that will help improve air quality and protect the health of our students,” said Bond. “This investment supports one of our government’s key priorities, to lead the world in sustainable environmental management.”

These cleaner-burning buses will reduce exhaust particulate emissions by 90 per cent compared to the previous 1994 standard. Clean diesel buses produce 30 to 60 per cent better mileage than gasoline-fuelled buses and provide longer service.

Existing diesel buses are being made cleaner by retrofitting them with diesel oxidization catalytic converters. This is part of an aggressive strategy to improve air quality for students and the communities they live in. Three districts, Howe Sound, the Gulf Islands and Saanich, are currently piloting biodiesel in their new clean-diesel buses. As well, the Province is undertaking a pilot project testing five hybrid diesel-electric school buses, some of the first in North America.

“We are proud that our clean-energy bus initiative actively supports the Province’s clean air and climate change objectives,” said Bond. “To ensure student safety, school buses are required to be maintained to the highest of standards and are replaced regularly.”

In order to qualify for replacement, a bus needs to be on a regular route to school, and have met or exceeded the following criteria regarding kilometers and age (verified by inspection reports signed by the Ministry of Transportation or a Ministry of Transportation-authorized facility):

78-84 Passenger 15 years and 400,000 km

24-72 Passenger 12 years and 325,000 km

Minibus 10 years and 250,000 km

All B.C. public sector organizations are required to publicly report on their emissions levels, on the actions they have taken to reduce these levels, and their plans to minimize emissions. As part of government’s commitment to reduce B.C.’s carbon footprint, all new and upgraded schools will be built to LEED Gold energy and environmental standards.

The Province is also developing new curriculum and providing resources, such as eco kits for schools and an interdisciplinary Environmental Learning Guide for teachers to help educators teach students about climate change and environmental sustainability.

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1 backgrounder(s) attached.
Media contact:	Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Education 250 356-5963

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