New additional and replacement school buses across British Columbia could be rolled out onto roads as electric-battery models.

The provincial government announced today it will provide funding to 31 school districts to buy up to 15 electric-battery school buses as part of a $13-million funding pool to acquire 101 new school buses in the 2020-21 bus acquisition program.

School districts that buy electric-battery buses will have access to provincial funding for charging station infrastructure.

“BC is leading the country in transitioning to electric vehicles, and our government is supporting that movement wherever we can,” said Bruce Ralston, BC Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, in a statement.

“Helping school districts invest in electric buses contributes not only to a cleaner environment, but also a healthier space for students.”

School districts will also have access to a record annual building maintenance funding of $217.7 million this year — an increase of $32.3 million compared to the 2016-17 fiscal year — including $12.2 million from the CleanBC program. This includes funding for solar panels, high-efficiency boilers, LED lighting upgrades, and the installation of electric-battery vehicle charging stations.

Additionally, the Carbon Neutral Capital Program provides $17.2 million to school districts for energy-efficient projects. A further $115.5 million from the annual facility grant allows schools to undertake additional maintenance projects.