Green transportation options key to meeting net-zero goals

E-bikes, which are part of the approach to electrify Purolator's last-mile fleet, bring lots of benefits in urban areas. supplied

Technology advances shape the way we live, learn and work, with greater connections between people, teams and organizations across different geographic locations. Canadians embrace the logistics solutions enabling this new reality, yet they also pay close attention to their environmental impact.

“As a leading Canadian transportation company, we understand our impact on the environment, and we take our responsibility to help build a better planet very seriously,” says John Ferguson, president and CEO, Purolator. “Driving sustainability throughout our business is set in Purolator’s core values and critical to achieving the ambitious goals we’ve put in place for the company.”

Improving sustainability performance is “seen as a strategic opportunity as well as a risk management tool for Purolator,” adds Cindy Bailey, Purolator’s corporate sustainability officer. “Our customers have certain expectations, including in regard to environmental sustainability. From a business perspective, we’re in a strong position to support the innovation and business transformation that will allow us to successfully deliver the products and services our customers look for.”

Setting out to “earn the distinction of the greenest courier in Canada and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050,” Purolator started by defining science-based emissions reduction targets. “We looked at all our emission sources and created a credible roadmap that will get us to that level of emissions reduction,” says Ms. Bailey. “Electrification of our fleet was a key part of the pathway, so we set the goal to electrify 60 per cent of our last-mile vehicles by 2030.”

Since conditions for this last mile vary greatly across the country, “we have to put the right vehicles on the right route – and this includes everything from e-bikes to straight trucks – to maximize the efficiency of our deliveries and emissions-reduction potential,” she says, adding that the team considered many factors, including types and sizes of terminals, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, carbon intensity of provincial electricity grids, incentive programs and support for green transportation.

Weighing these factors, Purolator started with three pilot projects, in British Columbia and Quebec, provinces that are further along in their electrification journey, and London, Ontario, says Ms. Bailey. “The idea is to learn from the experience and make improvements before deploying solutions on a larger scale.”

Beyond last-mile deliveries with EV trucks, Purolator integrated e-bikes and low-speed vehicles resembling golf carts into urban routes, which makes “navigating dense neighbourhoods easier as well as reduces noise, parking challenges and traffic congestion,” says Ms. Bailey. “And we get a lot of brand awareness when people notice these vehicles.”

While technology is advancing rapidly, Ms. Bailey advocates for timely action. “We know there will be EVs coming online that are cheaper and have a greater range, but to achieve our targets, we need to start now,” she says. “Learning how to effectively deploy a fleet of 3,500 EVs by 2030 is a process, especially since each of our facilities is unique. Through our pilot projects, we aim to find the right solution for each facility – and for our employees.”

Fleet electrification is just one aspect of Purolator’s decarbonization strategy, along with integrating clean fuels, route optimization, increased rail transport, renewable electricity, and waste reduction measures, says Ms. Bailey. “To set science-based targets, you have to get buy-in for your strategic plan, which allows people across the organization to come together and support one another on sustainability programs and initiatives.

“To be a logistics partner of choice in Canada, we have to focus on providing green transportation solutions and invest in technology and our fleet,” she adds.

Over the past two years, Purolator has been recognized by Canada’s Clean50 as a leader in environmental sustainability, including with two 2024 awards for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction and Net-zero Action Plan and a Clean16 Award honouring Ms. Bailey’s leadership.

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To view the full report as it appeared in The Globe's print edition Canada’s Clean50