Winnipeg's reliance on New Flyer, North America's largest bus manufacturer, is jeopardizing the company's future as it shifts focus to hydrogen fuel cell buses, which are more expensive and less reliable than battery-electric alternatives. This strategic misstep, compounded by conflicts of interest within the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium, is leading to significant financial and operational challenges for both New Flyer and Winnipeg's transit system. As a result, the city risks becoming a captive market for a failing technology, potentially costing taxpayers billions.
