Archived: Departmental Results Report 2016 to 2017, supplementary tables, Department of Environment, chapter 3

Up-front multi-year funding

Clayoquot Biosphere Trust

For more information, please visit the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust site.

Start date

February 2000

 

End date

In perpetuity

 

Link to department's Program Alignment Architecture

Program 1.3 Sustainable Ecosystems and 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.

Comment 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 June 2017 (for the 2016 calendar year). No concerns were identified.

Significant evaluation findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan

A Program Audit is completed every three years. The last program audit was completed in October 2015, with the next scheduled for 2018.

Summary of results achieved by the recipient

During 2016–17, 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. CBT was the local community foundation partner for the Community Fund for Canada’s 150th program.
  • In 2016, the CBT provided a total of $235,000 in funding to 66 projects in the areas of: Culture & Events ($39,000); Food Security ($11,000); Education & Youth ($100,000); Community Development ($26,000); Research & Environment ($59,000).
  • Delivered 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 115 participants from four schools.
  • Published the 2016 “Vital Signs” community health snapshot for the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Region and aligned the data with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. The report drew attention to three critical impact areas: food security, climate change, and transportation. 
  • Hosted four listening workshops and indexed over 300 hours of sound patterns from the Sydney Inlet Remote Listening Station. The purpose of this project is to learn more about the seasonal changes in the sound patterns of a remote watershed ecosystem.
Performance Information (dollars)
2014–15 Actual spending 2015–16 Actual spending 2016–17 Planned spending 2016–17 Total authorities available for use 2016–17 Actual spending (authorities used) Variance (2016–17 actual minus 2016–17 planned)
$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

Note: CBT funding transfer was completed in 2000. No new planned/actual spending.

Green Municipal Fund (GMF)

For more information, please visit the GMF site.

Start date

February 2000

 

End date

No end date set.

 

Link to department's Program Alignment Architecture

Program 3.2 Climate Change and Clean Air and 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 has been identified 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 Green Municipal Fund Council (GMF Council) and the Peer Review Committee.

The GMF Council’s role is to assist the FCM Board of Directors—the GMF decision-making body—in approving projects proposed by municipalities. The 15-member GMF Council includes five federal members: two from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), two from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and one from Infrastructure Canada (INFC). All federal members are appointed by the FCM Board of Directors based on recommendations from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

ECCC peer reviewers provide the GMF and federal council members with expert environmental science and technology advice and evaluate funding proposals.

Comment on variances

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

In May 2016, The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development released an audit report, Federal Support for Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure, in which two GMF recommendations were made.

1) Recommendation 1.52:

The FCM, in consultation with GMF Council, should develop specific objectives, performance targets, and indicators to leverage its investments in municipal environmental projects.

The FCM response.

The FCM agreed to develop specific objectives, performance targets, and indicators to better reflect the various leveraging activities that are delivered through the GMF. As the FCM is currently implementing its final year of a three-year plan for the GMF, it will, over the course of the 2016–17 fiscal year, engage the GMF Council on establishing these leveraging objectives and targets. The results will form part of the GMF’s next three-year plan.

2) Recommendation 1.62:

The Government of Canada and the FCM should review the terms and conditions of the GMF Funding Agreement and revise them as needed to address the GMF’s financial sustainability concerns. These parties should consider including a requirement for a regular review of the Funding Agreement to ensure it continues to support GMF objectives.

Departmental response:

In reviewing Budget 2016 commitments and the process for deploying newly announced funding measures, NRCan and ECCC agreed to work with the FCM on options to support the long-term sustainability of the GMF—for example, the modification of the GMF investment guidelines and regular review of its terms and conditions.

Significant evaluation findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan

There was no evaluation of the GMF in 2016–17, and none has been planned for the future.

Summary of results achieved by the recipient

The 2016–17 GMF Annual Report is expected to be available on the FCM website, in due course.

Since the inception of the GMF in 2000, the FCM has committed to provide $777 million to support 1,141 environmental initiatives in communities across Canada (2015-16 GMF Annual Report). Of the initiatives funded to date, 194 have been capital projects. The 139 capital projects that have been completed and reported on to date have:

  • Reduced GHG emissions by 378,000 tonnes per year;
  • Made 77 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 69,000 cubic metres of soil;
  • Treated 242,000 cubic metres of wastewater per year;
  • Diverted 170,000 tonnes of waste from landfill per year; and
  • Reduced water consumption by almost 309,000 cubic metres per year.

Through GMF, the FCM invested $52 million in 12 capital projects and $6 million in 59 plans, studies and pilot projects during the 2015–16 fiscal year.

Performance Information (dollars)
2014–15 Actual spending 2015–16 Actual spending 2016–17 Planned spending 2016–17 Total authorities available for use 2016–17 Actual spending (authorities used) Variance (2016–17 actual minus 2016–17 planned)
$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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2022-05-27