Archived: Departmental Performance Report 2015-16, supplemental tables, Environment and Climate Change Canada, chapter 3
Up-front Multi-year Funding
Clayoquot Biosphere Trust
Name of recipient
Clayoquot Biosphere Trust
For more information, please visit the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust site at www.clayoquotbiosphere.org
Start date
February 2000
End date
In perpetuity
Strategic Outcome
Canada’s natural environment is conserved and restored for present and future generations
Link to department’s Program Alignment Architecture
- Program 1.3 Sustainable Ecosystems
- Sub-Program 1.3.3 Community Engagement
Description
Creation of an endowment fund for the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT), which is the cornerstone of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The CBT will use the income from the endowment fund to support local research, education and training in the Biosphere Reserve region.
Comments on variances
CBT funding transfer completed in 2000. No new planned/actual spending.
Significant audit findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan
A financial audit is conducted annually, most recently in April 2016 (for the 2015 calendar year). No concerns were identified.
Significant evaluation findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan
A Program Audit evaluation was completed in October 2015, assessing the 2013 and the 2014 calendar years.
Summary of results achieved by the recipient
During 2015-16, the CBT achieved the following objectives and deliverables:
- Delivered a range of grant streams including scholarships, neighbourhood small grants, a research award and a $60,000 call for projects to support innovative, regional initiatives.
- In 2015, the CBT provided 47 projects a total of $166,000 in the areas of: Culture and Events $25,000; Food Security $14,000; Education and Youth $56,000; Community Development $25,000; Research and Environment $46,000. CBT grants leveraged an additional $72,000 in-kind contributions from local organizations.
- Supported the development of a region-wide school wildlife monitoring program that connects wildlife experts with local teachers and students in field settings and classrooms. The project culminated in a student symposium with over 130 participants from 5 schools.
- Calculated the Living Wage for the region and shared the report with local governments, residents, and organizations to inform conversations on affordability, health, and quality of life.
- Gathered nearly 1,000 hours of recorded sounds from the Sydney Inlet Remote Listening station. The project creates an opportunity for ecological monitoring via the soundscape.
- Continued to work towards the creation of a permanent Biosphere Centre to better serve the region through a business planning process.
| 2013-14 Actual spending |
2014-15 Actual spending |
2015-16 Planned spending |
2015-16 Total authorities available for use |
2015-16 Actual spending (authorities used) |
Variance (2015-16 actual minus 2015-16 planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Note: CBT funding transfer was completed in 2000. No new planned/actual spending.
Green Municipal Fund (GMF)
Start date
February 2000
End date
In perpetuity
Strategic Outcome
Threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution are minimized
Link to department’s Program Alignment Architecture
- Program 3.2 Climate Change and Clean Air
- Sub-Program 3.2.3 Environmental Technology
Description
The Green Municipal Fund (GMF) is a $550 million revolving fund administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) that supports grants, loans and loan guarantees to encourage investment in municipal environmental projects. The Government of Canada endowed the FCM with a total of $550 million for this initiative through a series of budget decisions from 2000 to 2005.
The GMF was established to have a positive impact on the health and the quality of life of Canadians by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improving local air, water and soil quality, and promoting renewable energy by supporting environmental studies and projects within the municipal sector. Eligible projects may fall into one or more of the following categories: energy, water, waste, sustainable transportation, brownfields, or integrated community projects. An amount of $150 million is to be used exclusively to support brownfield remediation and redevelopment.
The amount of GMF financing available to municipalities is directly related to the environmental benefits and/or innovation of the projects undertaken, with grant/loan combinations of up to 80% of eligible costs available for capital projects with exceptional environmental benefits.
As stipulated in the GMF Funding Agreement between the FCM and the Government of Canada, the FCM has created two advisory bodies: the GMF Council and the Peer Review Committee.
The GMF Council’s role is to assist the FCM Board of Directors-the decision-making body for the GMF-in approving projects proposed by municipalities. The 15-member GMF Council includes five federal members: two from Environment and Climate Change Canada, two from Natural Resources Canada and one from Infrastructure Canada. All federal members are appointed by the FCM Board of Directors based on recommendations from the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) peer reviewers provide the GMF and federal council members with expert environmental science and technology advice and evaluate funding proposals.
Comments on variances
GMF funding transfer completed in 2005. As part of the Green Infrastructure investments announced in Budget 2016, the FCM is to receive an endowment of $125 million in fiscal year 2017-18 for the GMF.
Significant audit findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan
There are no audit findings for 2015-16. The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development is to table the audit findings in 2016-17. This audit named Federal Support for Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure will include ECCC’s participation in supporting GMF.
Significant evaluation findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan
There has been no evaluation of the GMF during 2015-16, and there are none planned for the future.
Summary of results achieved by the recipient
The 2015-16 GMF Annual Report is expected to be available shortly on the FCM website.
According to the 2014-15 GMF Annual Report, since the inception of the GMF in 2000, the FCM has committed to provide $755 million to support 1,088 environmental initiatives in communities across Canada. Of the initiatives funded to date, 188 have been capital projects. The 119 capital projects that have been completed and reported on since inception have:
- Reduced GHG emissions by 371,000 tonnes per year
- Made 74 hectares of previously contaminated land available for use
- Reduced air contaminant emissions by more than 453,000 kilograms per year
- Improved the quality of more than 56,000 cubic metres of soil
- Treated 159,000,000 cubic metres of wastewater per year
- Diverted 151,000 tonnes of waste from landfill per year
- Reduced water consumption by almost 325,000 cubic metres per year
Through GMF, FCM invested $50.63 million in 12 capital projects and $5.1 million in 47 plans, studies and tests during the 2014-15 fiscal year.
| 2013-14 Actual spending |
2014-15 Actual spending |
2015-16 Planned spending |
2015-16 Total authorities |
2015-16 Actual spending |
Variance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Note: GMF funding transfer was completed in 2005. The FCM is to receive an endowment of $125 million in fiscal year 2017-18 for the GMF.
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