The City of Kingston, Ont., has added its first two battery-electric garbage trucks to its municipal fleet, supported by $500,000 in funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Green Municipal Fund.

The Mack LR Electric side-loading refuse trucks have been in service since July 2025, when they were introduced alongside the city’s automated cart-based waste collection program. The vehicles are the first battery-electric units in Kingston’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,” said Brent Fowler, director of corporate asset management and fleet for the City of Kingston.

Kingston said it was the first municipality in Ontario to have city staff operate battery-electric refuse trucks.

The trucks were purchased from Surgenor Truck Group, a Kingston-based dealer and service provider. The refuse bodies were manufactured in Canada by LaBrie Environmental Group.

The funding came through FCM’s Municipal Fleet Electrification program, which supports the adoption of zero-emission vehicles, charging infrastructure and related facility upgrades.

“Transportation is a major source of emissions, and electrifying municipal fleets is an important step toward a cleaner future,” said Tim Tierney, president of FCM.

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

Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America, said the city’s investment combines sustainability goals with practical fleet applications.

“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,” Randall said.

According to the city, the trucks have now been operating for nearly a year, collecting waste five days a week.

“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,” said Karen Santucci, director of public works and solid waste for the City of Kingston.

The city said the investment supports its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030 as part of its broader sustainability strategy.