Greening commerical fleets in Nipissing

Nipissing MPP Monique Smith
News Release

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Provincial support through the Green Commercial Vehicle Program is encouraging companies to switch to greener commercial vehicles and technologies, to protect our environment now and for the future.

This year in Nipissing, ProNorth Transportation Inc will receive $37,185.14 in grant funding for 12 retrofitted vehicles, and Romeo Cousineau will receive $302.36 in funding for 1 retrofitted vehicle.

Under the four-year, $15-million Green Commercial Vehicle Program, companies are able to apply for grants to:

• Purchase hybrid-electric and alternative-fuel vehicles

• Retrofit heavy-duty vehicles with anti-idling technologies

Over 1300 applications were received from about 150 companies for grants under the Green Commercial Vehicle Program.

“This is good news for our local recipients,” said Nipissing MPP Monique Smith. “It’s a big step to helping make fuel-efficient trucks more affordable for Ontario businesses.”

“We’re happy to be approved for this funding,” said Milton Miller, Maintenance Supervisor for ProNorth Transportation Inc. “We will lower our costs per mile on the vehicles and significantly lower the idling time on the trucks. This is also a big improvement for our drivers.”

“Our Green Commercial Vehicle Program could take up to 40,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions out of our air every year. This grant program is helping big and small companies to operate greener, more fuel-efficient vehicles will help us all breathe a little easier,” said Minister Jim Bradley.

QUICK FACTS

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40,000 tonnes is equivalent to taking about 8,000 cars off the road each year.

• 132 companies will share $2.3 million in grants this fiscal year for almost 1200 vehicles.

• Approximately 182,000 commercial vehicles operate in Ontario.

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