Teeswater, Ontario – Across the country, Canadians are feeling the impacts of climate change. By investing in community initiatives that cut pollution and support efficient local infrastructure, we can keep our air clean and build strong, healthy communities for everyone to call home. This is why the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) are investing in smart, sustainable solutions from coast to coast to coast.
Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources and Joanne Vanderheyden, Past President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, today announced a $2.2 million investment through FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF) to help improve water quality and reduce potable water usage in two communities in Ontario.
The Municipality of South Bruce receives up to $1,725,000 in the form of a loan and grant funding to upgrade its Teeswater Wastewater Treatment Plant to accommodate population growth, enhance water quality and manage organic loadings caused by increased sewer discharge from a major local plant. The municipality’s new combined nitrogen, phosphorous and anaerobic digester system will address effluent quality issues, recover more nutrients from biosolids for land application and meet the objectives of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The project aims to enhance the quality of effluent discharged to Lake Huron and reduce energy consumption and costs.
The Ontario Water Centre in collaboration with the Town of Georgina is receiving $475,000 to conduct a field test combining water harvested from stormwater run-off and from organic waste to replace potable water usage in a near-urban agricultural community. For this project, Clearwater Farm will be connected to municipal water and sewer services, eliminating an existing septic tank and replacing 1.08 million litres of potable water that would otherwise be drawn from municipal sources for agricultural irrigation by a combination of water-harvesting and extraction of water from clean organic food waste.
The Green Municipal Fund, administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, is funded through an endowment by the Government of Canada. GMF helps local governments switch to sustainable practices faster. Its unique mix of funding, resources and training gives municipalities the tools they need to build resiliency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Quotes
“Today’s investments will provide South Bruce, Georgina and the Ontario Water Centre with the support needed to ensure that Ontarians have access to clean water and that our aquatic ecosystems are protected. The Government of Canada is pleased to be supporting these innovative and important projects.”
– The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources
“I am pleased to be joining the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in announcing over $2 million in federal funding for vital clean-water projects in South Bruce and Georgina, Ontario. These projects will ensure access to clean water while preserving biodiversity and contributing to our climate goals.”
– Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph
“It’s critically important to have everyone in the climate fight. Municipalities across Canada are doing their part with innovative solutions that create jobs and climate resilience. Green infrastructure investments in Canadian communities will make our air cleaner, our economy stronger, and set us on the path to a net-zero future.”
– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“Local governments own sixty percent of the country’s infrastructure. With support from the Green Municipal Fund, municipalities of all sizes are implementing smart sustainable solutions to improve their infrastructure. Together, we are building resilient communities, accelerating the path to net-zero and helping achieve Canada’s climate goals."
– Joanne Vanderheyden, FCM Past President
Associated links
Contacts
Natural Resources Canada
Media Relations
343-292-6100
media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan)
Keean Nembhard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Natural Resources
613-323-7892
keean.nembhard@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
FCM Media Relations
613-907-6395
media@fcm.ca