The purpose of the Gabriola Community Bus Foundation is to protect the environment for the benefit of the public by operating a community bus system on Gabriola Island.
In 2008, the major catalyst bringing the community together to consider the feasibility of public transit on Gabriola was a growing concern about climate change with the focus specifically on the impact of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the planet’s environment. At the provincial and federal government levels, funding was made available to stimulate action intended to reduce GHG emissions. The use of petroleum-based fuels was recognized as an important source of the emissions and public transit considered a potential means of reducing dependence on the automobile as a dominant mode of transport.
The GHG Emission Gabriola 2008 Report (Weller, McKechnie, Doe) shows that 39% of Gabriola’s GHG emissions (5982 tonnes of CO2 equivalent) can be traced to the automobile.
The gertie-year-end-evaluation-report1 shows that 16 tonnes of C02 equivalent was saved by GERTIE, achieved through vehicle fuel consumption reduction and the use of Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) as a bus fuel supplement. GERTIE also provides social and economic benefits for the community.