Codiac Transpo buying 10 new diesel buses as electric fleet plans continue

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Codiac Transpo received approval from Moncton City Council Monday to purchase 10 new diesel-powered buses as it continues working on a plan for zero-emission public transit in the future.

Speaking to council Monday night, Codiac Transpo director Angela Allain said they have a fleet of 39 diesel-powered buses, some of which are more than 20 years old and have logged a million kilometres. She said some of the older buses simply need to be replaced, while others will be put onto routes that have seen increases in passenger traffic. She said there has been an increase in ridership over the last couple of years, due likely to the city’s rise in population through immigrants and international students.

Allain said Codiac Transpo will get two electric buses in 2026 as part of a pilot project, but full conversion to zero-emission buses will take at least 15 years due to costs of the buses and converting the maintenance garage on Millennium Boulevard.

The motion approved Monday is for five new 40-foot Urban Transit Buses for the City of Dieppe at $3.6 million, one new 40-foot diesel bus for the Town of Riverview at $720,000, and four new 40-foot diesel buses for the City of Moncton for $2.8 million plus HST. Dieppe and Riverview councils had already granted permission for the purchase, funded through their 2024 budgets. These buses will be used to replace older buses and support growth of routes, Allain said.

• City council also approved the purchase of six new Trackless snowplow units, along with the trailers and accessories, for a total cost of $1.5 million. The new units will replace existing machines that have come to the end of their life cycle. The city has been using Trackless units since 1998. They are used year-round for sidewalk snow clearing and maintenance, mowing, sidewalk sweeping and other functions.

• Council voted in favour of an initiative to streamline its zoning bylaws to speed up construction of housing over the next three years. The changes are required for the city to receive over $15 million from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. That funding can be used for many types of housing projects, including changing existing buildings into multi-unit residences. The public hearing on this matter was carried over from the Jan. 15 meeting, with former city councillor S. Boyd Anderson speaking out against it. Anderson said he is concerned about how this could change existing neighbourhoods by turning duplexes into multi-unit residences. Don MacLellan, representing the Rising Tide Initiative, spoke in favour of the changes, saying they need more space to create affordable housing without losing time due to red tape.

• A proposed expansion to the Pioneer Estate Winery on the Whitfield Trites Road near Magnetic Hill was put on hold after residents objected. The Pioneer Estate Winery, operated by Shaun Fraser, has been growing grapes for several years and constructed a wine production facility on the property with its own well and septic tank. The company has proposed an expansion that would allow for retail sales of the wine, tastings and events like weddings. At a public hearing Monday night, neighbouring property owners objected to the plan, saying they are concerned about the potential for water pollution from the winery’s septic tank. Emilia Giboi said she’s concerned about drainage and the winery’s effect on the environment, noise and smoke from weddings, garbage thrown onto her property and a general loss of enjoyment of her property. Another neighbour, Earl Garland, voiced concern about why the winery had its own septic tank when it could have been connected to the municipal sewer system.

Bill Budd, the city’s director of planning, and Jim Scott of Trace Planning, representing the winery, said all the changes were done in accordance with provincial laws, including the septic connection. The public hearing was adjourned and a vote on the application was postponed until council had more answers on questions raised by the objectors.

• The city is acquiring a piece of land north of Shediac Road from Rez Developments. Existing sewer lines run under this land and it could be used to build a sidewalk connection between Northumberland Drive and Shediac Road, near the Harrisville Pharmacy.

• The city has approved a construction agreement with NB Power to raise and relocate power lines on the south side of Assomption Boulevard between Downing Street and Westmorland Street, near the Moncton Law Courts building, to provide enough clearance between the road and power lines. This is part of an ongoing infrastructure upgrade for the downtown core.