The City of Brampton has officially broken ground for phase one of its new transit facility, which aims to significantly boost its growing transportation needs and help reach the ambitious goal of becoming the first Canadian city with a fully zero-carbon bus fleet. 

The announcement was made at a ceremony on Friday in Brampton, which was attended by Mayor Patrick Brown, city councillors, and local MPs. 

The facility, located at Highway 50 and Cadetta Road, will be named the Cadetta Johnston Transit Facility in honour of the Johnston family, who previously settled on the land and continue to occupy their family farm just south of the property. 

"The Johnston family's historical ties to the area date back to the 19th century and the facility's commemorative naming recognizes their significant contributions to the food and agriculture sector and the Brampton community," the City said in a news release. 

The City has secured $128.1 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) towards the base (non-electrified) phase of the facility's construction, including up to $69.9 million from the Government of Canada and up to $58.2 million from the Government of Ontario.

Brampton will also be investing $154.8 million in city funding to complete the design and construction of phase one, which is expected to have the capacity to house approximately 250 buses. 

The facility will be designed to accommodate future electrification, pending additional funding, as the City continues to advocate for a fully electrified bus fleet. 

Last year, Brampton announced its intention to become the first Canadian city with a zero-carbon bus fleet, which would cut roughly 115 tonnes of CO2 emissions per bus each year. 

"Breaking ground on Brampton's third Transit facility is a significant milestone for our city. This new facility will not only help us meet the growing demand for public transit, but it also underscores our commitment to a greener, more sustainable future," said Mayor Patrick Brown. 

"With the support of our federal and provincial partners, we are paving the way for a modern transit system benefitting residents today and generations to come. This facility, and the electrification of our fleet, are key steps toward reducing our carbon footprint and building a transit network that Brampton can be proud of." 

During phase two, the transit facility is expected to have capacity for another 188 buses. Construction is expected to take place until 2027.