City of Kingston purchases first two electric garbage trucks with assistance from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund

The City of Kingston has added two electric garbage trucks to its fleet, furthering the City’s commitment to leading climate action, thanks to funding support from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund (GMF).  

The battery-electric vehicles have been in service since July 2025, when they were successfully introduced to coincide with the City’s automated cart-based waste collection rollout. They are the first battery-electric vehicles in the City’s Solid Waste fleet. 

“One of the City’s Strategic Priorities is leading environmental stewardship and climate action, and purchasing these trucks is one of the ways we are working towards the achievement of these goals,” says Brent Fowler, Director of Corporate Asset Management & Fleet, City of Kingston.  

Kingston was the first municipality in Ontario to have City staff operate these battery electric refuse trucks. Through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund, the City received $500,000 to support the purchase. GMF’s Municipal Fleet Electrification offer supports the transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), deployment of EV charging infrastructure, and necessary facility upgrades. 

The Mack LR Electric side-loading collection trucks were purchased from Surgenor Truck Group, a local supplier and full-service repair shop. The bodies of the Mack trucks were manufactured in Canada by LaBrie Environmental Group. 

“Transportation is a major source of emissions, and electrifying municipal fleets is an important step toward a cleaner future”, says Tim Tierney, FCM President. “These investments reduce costs and create local jobs — by introducing electric garbage trucks into their fleet, the City of Kingston is leading the way and showing other local municipalities and Canadians what sustainable fleets can achieve.” 

“When choosing a vendor for this purchase, we wanted to support local and ensure these vehicles could be maintained right here in Kingston. We were pleased to partner with Surgenor, an outstanding Kingston dealer that provides full-maintenance truck service, right down the street from our facilities,” says Fowler. 

“Kingston is showing what leadership looks like by pairing an ambitious sustainability vision with real-world investments that make a difference for residents and for the environment,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “We’re proud the City of Kingston chose the Mack LR Electric for its first battery-electric refuse trucks and grateful to work alongside Surgenor Truck Group and LaBrie Environmental Group to deliver a solution that’s ready for the daily demands of refuse collection.” 

“These vehicles have been in service for nearly a year, operating five days a week. Their performance is top notch and the reception from both the public and our Solid Waste operators has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Karen Santucci, Director of Public Works & Solid Waste, City of Kingston.  

This initiative aligns with Kingston’s vision of being "Canada’s Most Sustainable City" and its goal to reduce greenhouse gases by 30 per cent by 2030, contributing to broader national objectives for net-zero emissions by 2050.   

“Investing in zero-emission municipal fleets is a practical step toward reducing emissions and building stronger, more sustainable communities. Projects like the City of Kingston’s initiatives for cleaner vehicles demonstrate how targeted support can help Canadians adopt cleaner technologies, create local economic opportunities, and advance Canada’s transition towards net-zero by 2050,” says Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands  

About FCM’s Green Municipal Fund  

FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF) is a globally unique organization providing funding and education to municipalities to help them both reach net-zero and build resilient communities, while also delivering economic and social benefits such as jobs, housing and infrastructure. Since inception in 2000, it has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.98 million tonnes, funded more than 16,000 person-years of employment, and contributed $1.53 billion to the national GDP via the more than 2,736 approved projects. GMF manages approximately $2.4 billion in programs funded by the Government of Canada.