Charlottetown – Across the country, Canadians are feeling the impacts of climate change. By investing in job-creating initiatives that lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, increase energy efficiency and support green infrastructure, progress toward net-zero by 2050 and building strong, resilient and sustainable communities in every region of the country are possible.
Member of Parliament Sean Casey, on behalf of Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, and Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) President Scott Pearce announced an investment of $1,886,000 to support two projects in Prince Edward Island through the Green Municipal Fund.
The City of Charlottetown received $1,856,000 (a $242,000 grant and $1,614,000 loan) to upgrade the energy efficiency of its city hall, the fire hall and the West Royalty Community Centre through a turnkey energy retrofit that will guarantee energy savings. Building managers will be able to use networked smart technology to view and make changes to mechanical systems in municipal buildings remotely, a brand-new feature on Prince Edward Island. The upgrades are expected to save the city nearly $90,000 in annual operation costs and reduce energy use by 30 percent.
Energy-saving measures like this could be replicated in other communities across Atlantic Canada.
In addition, the Town of Stratford received a $30,000 grant to develop a greenhouse gas reduction plan to address energy consumption focused on five main areas: land use, transportation, buildings, infrastructure and energy supply.
Today’s initiatives are some of the ways the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) continues to build on its twenty-year record of supporting transformative environmental initiatives at the community level. Administered by the FCM and funded through an endowment by the Government of Canada, the GMF helps local governments switch to sustainable practices efficiently. By taking action to adapt to climate change, we can build communities and economies that are able to thrive for generations to come.
“Today’s announcement in the Town of Stratford will support clean energy upgrades to three important buildings in Prince Edward Island. By investing in energy-efficient, low-carbon infrastructure today, we are taking the steps needed to create good-paying jobs, save consumers money and fight climate change for years to come. I congratulate the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and all local partners involved in this project.” – Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources
“Finding innovative solutions to address the ongoing climate crisis is critical for all Canadians. By supporting concrete actions, we are greening our communities and providing a better home for future generations. I applaud efforts by the City of Charlottetown and the Town of Stratford as they help lead the way to a sustainable future.” – Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change