An Alberta resort town unveiled its new fleet of hybrid buses Wednesday, a move anticipated to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption.

"We are the only community in Canada to have a 100 per cent, all-hybrid bus fleet. That's something to be proud of," claimed Banff town Coun. Stavros Karlos, in an interview with CBC News.

Karlos, describing the buses as "awesome," couldn't hide his enthusiasm about the four new buses, which will be wrapped in pictures of animals native to the area before they hit the streets on Monday.

"No other municipality, I think, has a transit bus that arguably is even close to as good looking as these buses. They're environmentally friendly, they're efficient," he said.

"Banff is putting its money where its mouth is and trying to do its best to be a sustainable community in a world heritage site."

The new fleet cost $2.6 million, roughly a million more than standard diesel buses.

Town manager Robert Earl said that while the buses may cost more to buy, they will create savings in other areas.

"There's a 30 per cent saving in fuels as opposed to our existing fleet and an over 90 per cent reduction in emissions. So we will save fuel savings, we will see life-cycle cost savings but more importantly, we will see environmental savings," he said.

"Council made the decision to spend an additional $1 million in going 100 per cent hybrid with this fleet in order to reduce emissions, reduce fuel consumption and do the right thing."

Ottawa pitches in to get buses on the road

Earl said the federal government pitched in more than a million dollars to help the town buy the new buses.

The new buses can accommodate up to 84 passengers, 34 seated and 50 standing, and will also be equipped with bike racks. The town is also installing new electronic fare boxes, which will accept Canadian and American bills, and coins, tokens, tickets and passes.

The first hybrid bus in Canada was unveiled in British Columbia in 2005, and since then several other cities across the country have started adding them to their fleets.

Edmonton put its first two diesel and electric buses on the road in December 2006.