Toronto – 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 places 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.
Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, and Taneen Rudyk, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, today announced a $175,000 investment through FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF) to support Toronto’s transition to low-carbon and renewable energy.
The City of Toronto is receiving $29,000 to study the best solution for designing a net zero energy building for the North East Scarborough Community and Child Care Centre, located at Joyce Trimmer Park, 8450 Sheppard Avenue. The study has now been completed and construction is underway.
The City is also receiving $146,000 for a similar study for the Western North York Community & Child Care Centre at 60 Starview Lane. Both studies incorporate strategies to deliver energy, water and waste reduction.
The expected environmental benefits targeted by these studies are to achieve 100 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The projects will also have economic development and productivity benefits that will contribute to the long-term financial stability and prosperity of the community. Social benefits of these projects include the improvement of the community’s quality of life, the revitalization of community bonds, and increased opportunities for public education and awareness.
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.
The Government of Canada is also developing a Green Buildings Strategy, which will create local jobs and help Canada move toward a resilient, net-zero emissions buildings sector by 2050. The Strategy will be focused on increasing the rate of building retrofits, ensuring buildings are resilient and net-zero ready from the start, and supporting systems change for the buildings sector of the future. Further engagement on the Strategy with partners such as provinces and territories, Indigenous governments and municipalities will take place before it is finalized in 2023.
Through efforts such as these, the federal government is creating sustainable jobs, building a clean energy future and charting a path toward net-zero emissions by 2050.
Quotes
“The Government of Canada is pleased to be supporting low-carbon innovation in Toronto’s building sector. These studies will lead to improved access to community facilities for children and families, while reducing emissions and benefiting the local economy.”
– The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources
“Our government is supporting Toronto’s Community and Child Care Centres to become climate leaders. The investments announced today for the centres in Scarborough and North York will benefit community members while raising awareness of the role of buildings in the fight against climate change. Congratulations to all those involved.”
– Julie Dabrusin Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Member of Parliament for Toronto-Danforth
“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; this is exactly what the City of Toronto is doing with their studies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions community and child care centres in North East Scarborough and Western North York. Together, we are building resilient communities, accelerating the path to net-zero and helping achieve Canada’s climate goals."
– Taneen Rudyk, FCM President
“We know Toronto buildings are a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. We have a goal in Toronto to reach net zero by 2040 and a big part of getting there means understanding and exploring what more can be done to make buildings more efficient. This new funding is helping us understand that better and reach our goals of reducing our footprint quicker. I would like to thank the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Government of Canada for providing these important grants for feasibility studies that will help encourage innovative designs for new, green recreation centres in our city. This is another example of the positive changes that can be made when we all work together."
– Mayor John Tory, City of Toronto
Associated links
Green Municipal Fund
North East Scarborough Community and Child Care Centre
Western North York Community & Child Care Centre
2030 Emissions Reductions Plan
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