(Saint-Eustache) Ten transport companies will receive 1,230 electric buses that will be built in the Nova Bus plant, located in Saint-Eustache, over the next few years, as part of what is presented as the most important contract of its kind in North America – a bill of approximately 2 billion.

The details of the agreement, which had been fanned by La Presse last April, were confirmed on Monday at the factory of the Volvo Group subsidiary. The order is financed to the tune of 1.1 billion by Quebec while 780 million come from Ottawa. Representatives of the Trudeau and Legault governments jointly made the announcement.

“Ultimately, the entire population will be able to benefit from the benefits of these electric buses,” said Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault.

About a year ago, the Legault government rolled out the process to acquire this fleet of electric buses. They are intended for the nine transport companies – Montreal, Laval, Quebec, Longueuil, Lévis, Outaouais, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières and Saguenay – and for exo, which operates bus services in the metropolitan area. The Société de transport de Montréal was designated as responsible for this group purchase.

Quebec required a minimum of 25% Canadian content and final assembly of buses in Canada, in accordance with international trade agreements. Nova Bus won the contract.