New Flyer opens Customer Acceptance and Delivery facility in Winnipeg, restoring full Canadian bus manufacturing

NFI Group and its subsidiary New Flyer Industries have inaugurated a new Customer Acceptance and Delivery facility in Winnipeg, Canada, enabling complete start-to-finish production of heavy-duty transit buses in Canada for the first time in 15 years.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on 3 March 2026 and involved representatives from federal, provincial and municipal institutions together with company leadership and union representatives.

The new site forms part of a broader investment programme combining federal and provincial funding with internal capital from the manufacturer. According to the company, the facility allows heavy-duty transit buses — including zero-emission models — to be manufactured entirely in Winnipeg, restoring a complete domestic production chain that had not been present in Canada for fifteen years. The information was released in a press statement issued by NFI on 3 March 2026.

New Flyer to produce further buses in Winnipeg, Canada

Construction of the Customer Acceptance and Delivery facility began in late 2024. The first vehicles entered production in September 2025, while the first bus produced under the “All-Canadian build” framework was delivered in December 2025 to Durham Region Transit.

The CAD facility will serve as the final stage for vehicle inspection, acceptance procedures and delivery preparation for transit agencies. The new infrastructure is expected to expand New Flyer’s production capacity by up to 240 equivalent units per year by 2027, with four production line entries planned weekly.

According to the company, the Winnipeg expansion also enables its U.S. manufacturing plants to concentrate on vehicle production for American transit agencies, while Canadian facilities handle domestic orders.

The inauguration ceremony brought together several government representatives including the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions; Ginette Lavack, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services and Member of Parliament for St. Boniface–St. Vital; Ben Carr, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre; Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew; and Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham. Representatives from CUTRIC, the IAM union and Unifor also attended the event.

“We are extremely proud to officially open our new facility that achieves a strategic goal of enabling complete, start-to-finish Canadian bus manufacturing for Canadian customers,” said John Sapp, President and Chief Executive Officer, NFI Group. “This is a major milestone for our company, the province and the country as it creates hundreds of highly skilled jobs and a stronger domestic supply chain, alongside enhanced zero-emission production capabilities.”

“Canada is world-renowned for its manufacturing strength and highly skilled workforce,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. “New Flyer’s new facility will design, engineer, and build the transit buses that Canadians rely on – right here in Winnipeg. This investment will continue to create hundreds of well-paying jobs and strengthen our domestic supply chain through an all-Canadian manufacturing hub.”

“The world has changed, and Canada must strengthen its domestic capacity in critical industries. Today’s ribbon-cutting in Winnipeg marks a defining moment in Canadian manufacturing, and our government is pleased to have supported those efforts. For the first time in 15 years, buses built by Canadians, for Canadians, will be manufactured—from start to finish—on Canadian soil. On behalf of Canada’s new government, congratulations to New Flyer and all involved in the All-Canadian Build initiative. This is building Canada strong in action,” said The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada.

“This project is about putting a ‘Made in Canada’ stamp on the low-carbon economy. Here in Manitoba, blue-collar workers are helping drive a safe and healthy future, and companies like NFI are leading the charge,” said Premier Wab Kinew. “By bringing full bus manufacturing back to Winnipeg, this facility strengthens our domestic supply chain, creates good jobs, and reinforces Manitoba’s position at the cutting edge of zero-emission transportation technology.”

“In a world where supply chains and countries are looking inward, Manitoba is stepping up to the plate with homegrown solutions. Because we have what Canada needs – the workers, the innovation, and the determination. And today’s ribbon cutting showcases this as New Flyer celebrates the All-Canadian Build where buses for Canadians are built by Canadians on Canadian soil, right here in Winnipeg. Congratulations to all who have worked to make this vision a reality,” said Ginette Lavack, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services and Member of Parliament for St. Boniface – St. Vital, Manitoba.