The new maintenance facility for Grand River Transit, valued at $118.8 million, officially opened in Waterloo.

The 305,000-square-foot Northfield Drive building can accommodate 200 buses, including larger vehicles.

It also has 22 maintenance bays, wash stations, and environmentally friendly features such as a green vegetative roof, rain capture, and storage.

There is also space for charging future electric buses and solar panels. Grand River Transit says it needs additional space as it expands the pace of transit and services.

Regional Chair Karen Redman said at the grand opening of the building: "The Northfield maintenance facility will help us meet demand." "It's not just about more buses; Northfield provides space for greener buses, higher capacity buses, and ultimately an emission-free fleet."

The region paid 27 percent of the facility's $118.8 million cost. The rest came from the federal government and provincial governments.

Construction of the project began in March 2020. Despite the challenges caused by the pandemic, the building was completed on time.