Downtown building damaged after unmanned Halifax Transit bus crashes

An unmanned Halifax Transit bus crashed into a tree Friday, April 17, 2026, which resulted in damaged to a Purdy's Wharf building. (Jim Kvammen/CTV Atlantic)

A building in downtown Halifax was damaged after an unmanned bus crashed into a tree, which then collapsed onto the building.

According to Halifax Regional Police, the single-vehicle collision happened Friday around 6:30 p.m. Police said the Halifax Transit driver reported that the bus was out of service with no passengers and had been parked on Reconciliation Way prior to the crash.

The driver told police he was outside of the vehicle at the time and reached inside to turn off the engine.

“At that time, the bus began rolling towards Upper Water Street, where it came to a stop after it hit a tree,” police said in an email to CTV News on Sunday.

The tree then collapsed into Purdy’s Wharf Tower 1, causing damage to the building.

Police said the driver sustained minor injuries as he tried to catch up with the bus. No other injuries were reported.

The front windshield of the bus was shattered during the crash, and the front bumper area was also damaged.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

CTV News has reached out to Halifax Regional Municipality for a comment.

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