September 29, 2025. The City of Toronto is implementing a novel procurement model to accelerate its clean fleet strategy, thanks to a collaboration with MaRS Discovery District and Martinrea International Inc., a leading automotive supplier. This new procurement pathway connects municipal buyers with homegrown solutions.
As part of the TransformTO net-zero strategy, Toronto City Council passed a motion in 2021 that enabled accelerated procurement for ventures in the Mission from MaRS program. This initiative, developed by MaRS in collaboration with the City, paved the way for Effenco, a Canadian clean-technology venture, to scale its hybrid compressed natural gas (CNG) system with Martinrea.
MaRS facilitated the introduction of these companies, which led to Martinrea’s acquisition of Effenco, positioning Martinrea to retrofit Toronto’s municipal fleet. MaRS then initiated multi-party discussions that culminated in an initial deployment and a subsequent City purchase of 58 Effenco-equipped systems as part of its planned fleet replacement schedule. This purchase will help shrink the carbon footprint of the City’s fleet of heavy-duty vehicles.
“Having MaRS work to get a motion from the City of Toronto council to enable them to purchase technologies recommended through its program is a major step forward for municipalities,” says Bruce Johnson, Executive Vice President of Innovation Development at Martinrea. “MaRS did a great job navigating procurement challenges.”
“The Mission from MaRS program identifies Canadian tech companies with proven technologies that reduce emissions and support the City’s journey toward net zero by 2040,” says Abi Thomas, General Manager of the City of Toronto’s fleet services division. “Effenco’s hybrid-CNG technology has demonstrated success in lowering emissions while delivering tangible operational cost savings, underscoring MaRS’s credibility in identifying impactful Canadian innovation.”
For City of Toronto applications, the Effenco electric powertrain system supports a dramatic reduction in engine hours, fuel consumption and GHG emissions. Medium- and heavy-duty trucks are notorious polluters. Considering large vehicles account for 35 percent of emissions generated by the transportation sector, solutions like Effenco’s could have an important role to play to keep emissions in check.
Following a successful demonstration of the Effenco system in 2024, the City has equipped eight freight vehicles with the clean energy technology, with plans to retrofit 23 vehicles by March 2026 and 58 by 2027.