ArcelorMittal Mining Canada says it has reached another milestone in its energy transition by becoming the first mining company in Québec and the first company on the North Shore to use electric buses to transport its workers.

The eight buses that will be used by ArcelorMittal were manufactured in Saint-Jérôme by the Lion Electric Company. They will be operated by Transport Therrien, a Fermont-based company that is part of Groupe Autobus Maheux, while the design and installation of the charging infrastructure was undertaken by Cléo, a subsidiary of Hydro-Québec.

Mapi Mobwano, President and CEO of ArcelorMittal Mining Canada, said: “With the arrival of electric buses for our employees, we are continuing to implement our sustainable development strategy. We are particularly pleased about being the first in Québec to bring this plan to fruition in collaboration with local companies like Lion Electric, Transport Therrien and Cléo, who are teaming up with us to help us reduce our carbon footprint.”

Pierre Maheux, President of Groupe Autobus Maheu, added: “We are proud to participate in decarbonising our industry by using electric vehicles. Since acquiring our first electric bus in 2016, we have developed the expertise to meet the energy transition challenge in northern environments. Today, we pay tribute to ArcelorMittal’s leadership. This unprecedented project proves that it is now possible to operate a fleet of electric buses north of the 53rd parallel.”

To support and encourage the electrification of transportation, ArcelorMittal has also started installing electric charging stations at its Mont-Wright and Port-Cartier facilities. Twelve FLO charging stations have already been installed and more will be installed within a few months. These stations are accessible at all times and are free of charge for employees.

ArcelorMittal Mining Canada is Canada’s largest supplier of iron ore to the global steel market, with production of approximately 26 Mt/y of iron ore concentrate. It operates a mining complex, a crusher and a concentrator in Mont-Wright, a mine in Fire Lake, and a pellet plant in Port-Cartier.

In operation since 1974, its Mont-Wright mine covers 24 sq.km, making it one of the largest open-pit deposits in Canada.

ArcelorMittal aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.