News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

October 29, 2018

Manitoba Reduces Number of Government Fleet Vehicles

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Reduced Carbon Footprint Supports Climate and Green Plan: Squires

The Manitoba government will remove 400 vehicles from the government fleet as part of a fleet vehicle reorganization, Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires announced today.

“We are eliminating 400 vehicles and reducing the costs associated with running them, as well as eliminating the greenhouse-gas emissions associated with all those vehicles,” Squires said.  “The Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan calls on government to be a leader in reducing the carbon footprint and this effort supports our goal.”

The Vehicle and Equipment Management Agency (VEMA) will co-ordinate removing vehicles from government service and, when complete, will save approximately $2.3 million in operating costs and avoid up to 4,000 tonnes of emissions every year, Squires added.

In 2017-18, the provincial fleet consisted of 2,000 vehicles, each annually using an average of 4,400 litres of fuel.  Over the next five years, with a smaller fleet, it is estimated the province will save about 8.8 million litres of fuel and could eliminate the production of approximately 23,300 tonnes of greenhouse gases, the minister said.

“Staff are encouraged to reduce their travel to meetings and instead rely on video and conference calls whenever possible,” Squires said.

Monitoring devices will be installed in remaining light-duty vehicles, such as passenger cars, to help track driving practices such as idling, speed and mileage of vehicles, as well as fuel consumption.  This data can assist in monitoring the provincial fleet’s overall greenhouse-gas reductions, the minister added.

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