Up-front multi-year funding: 2021-2022 Departmental Results Report

Clayoquot Biosphere Trust

General information

Recipient information

Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT)

For more information, please visit the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust site at www.clayoquotbiosphere.org

Start date
February 2000
End date
In perpetuity
Link to department’s Program Inventory
Water Quality and Ecosystems Partnerships and Community Eco-Action
Purpose and objectives of the transfer payment program
Creation of an endowment fund for the CBT, which is the cornerstone of the Clayoquot Sound United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (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.
Significant audit findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan
A financial audit is conducted annually, most recently in April 2022 (for the 2021 calendar year). No concerns were identified.
Significant evaluation findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan
There were no significant evaluation findings for this reported year.
Summary of results achieved by the recipient
  • Completed the 2021 UNESCO Periodic Review.
  • Authored a self-study report that compiles data and stories to showcase the evolution and impact of the UNESCO Biosphere designation and the CBT from 2010 -2020, and produced a StoryMap to communicate ongoing support from partners, and virtually hosted independent reviewers appointed by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.
  • Delivered a range of grants totalling $268,776 for regional initiatives in the areas of research and environment, arts and culture, community development, youth and education, and conservation research.
  • Researched the social, environmental, economic, and cultural impacts of tourism in the Biosphere Region in preparation for publishing a Vital Snapshot in late 2021.
  • Proceeded with the development of the Biosphere Centre through activities such as the re-zoning process and development of a social procurement policy.
  • Built awareness and local action for the UN SDGs by hosting an SDG bootcamp for local youth and develop SDG education programs creating curriculum based on local sustainability science and research.
  • Continued to coordinate the Sydney Inlet Acoustic Refugium Monitoring Project 2020-2023.
Total funding approved (dollars)
12,000,000
Total funding received (dollars)
12,000,000

Financial information (dollars)

Financial information
Planned spending in 2021−22 Total authorities available for use in 2021−22 Actual spending (authorities used) in 2021-22 Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned) Explanation of variance
0 0 0 0 N/A

Green Municipal Fund

General information

Recipient information

Green Municipal Fund (GMF)

For more information, please visit the GMF site.

Start date
February 2000
End date
In perpetuity
Link to the department’s Program Inventory
Clean Growth and Climate Change Mitigation
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment

Between 2000 and 2018, the Government of Canada endowed the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) with $50 million for grants and $625 million for endowment funding to administer a revolving fund for grants, loans and loan guarantees to encourage investment in municipal environmental projects. As per Budget 2019, the Government of Canada transferred through Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) an additional $950 million to the FCM for the GMF new funding streams: Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH-$300 million), Community Efficiency Financing (CEF-$300 million), and Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3-$350 million). Since GMF’s inception, the total amount transferred from the Government of Canada for the GMF amounts to $1.625 billion.

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 and energy efficiency 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.

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 2019 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 advise the FCM Board of Directors—the GMF decision-making body—on GMF governance and projects proposed by municipalities for funding approval. The 18-member GMF Council includes six federal members: two from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), two from NRCan, one from Infrastructure Canada (INFC), and one from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). All ECCC federal members are appointed by the FCM Board of Directors based on recommendations from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

The 10 ECCC GMF peer reviewers provide the GMF with expert environmental advice on funding proposals.

Audit findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan

As mandated by the Funding Agreement between the FCM and Canada, a Five-Year Review and Performance Audit of the GMF was conducted by Ernest and Young over the period from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2019. The next Five-Year Review and Performance Audit is scheduled to be carried out in 2024.

The 2014-19 Performance Audit assesses efficiency and effectiveness of GMF as well as overall Funding Agreement compliance. The Review evaluates GMF outcomes, design and relevance (i.e. alignment with stakeholder priorities) and the extent to which funding and knowledge services realized social, economic and especially environmental benefits. Together, the reports provide evidence-based insights into the impact and value-for-money achieved by FCM and its partners and offers recommendations for improving the performance of the Fund going forward.

The FCM meets all the key objectives of the Performance Audit and the key requirements of the Review in relation to GMF outcomes, design and relevance. Auditors’ recommendations in relation to Performance Audit include improving systems to quantitatively monitor and report meaningful HR metrics; collecting results from risk self-assessments conducted by each business line to inform the development of an operational risk register; continue developing indicators in the GMF Performance Measurement Framework to enable effective and timely management of decision making; and ensuring that IT transformation initiatives have appropriate oversight to carry out GMF priorities.

Auditors’ recommendations in relation to the Review include beefing up information collection on projects’ social and economic benefits; and improving the alignment of the knowledge sharing and capacity building services with customers’ needs.

In total, the 2019 assessments resulted in 11 recommendations, 8 from the Performance Audit and 3 from the Review. GMF has completed a management response action plan to address each of the recommendations from the Five-Year Performance Audit and Review and initiatives are ongoing.

Of these 11 recommendations - 4 are complete as of April 2022. As some recommendations require continuous improvement, they are marked as substantially complete as updates have been made to reflect the recommendations from the auditors and a plan is in place for regular review to ensure the changes remain relevant.

5 recommendations have ongoing actions to address them. Many of these are expected to be completed in fiscal 2022-23.

Two of the recommendations are deferred to the next fiscal year, 2022-23. These activities are expected to pick up early in the year once new staff have completed onboarding.

Evaluation findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan
See previous section on the Five-Year Review findings.
Summary of results achieved by the recipient

The 2020-21 GMF Annual Report and Appendices are available on the FCM website.

Since the inception of the GMF in 2000, the FCM has committed to provide $1.1B to support 1,243 environmental initiatives in communities across Canada (2020-21 GMF Annual Report).

Environmental impacts since the inception of the GMF:

  • Reduced cumulative GHG emissions by 2.75 million tonnes;
  • Saved 860,218 gigajoules per year;
  • Treated 247,184,338 cubic metres of wastewater and drinking water per year;
  • Saved 646,348 cubic meteres of water per year;
  • Diverted 224,217 tonnes of waste from landfill per year;
  • Managed 191,768 cubic metres of media (soil, groundwater, and sediment); and
  • Reclaimed 94 hectares of land.
Total funding approved (dollars)

FY 2020-21: $169,441,251

Total Net Approved Since Inception of Fund: $1,100,601,359

Total funding received (dollars)
N/A

Financial information (dollars)

Financial information
Planned spending in 2021−22 Total authorities available for use in 2021−22 Actual spending (authorities used) in 2021-22 Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned) Explanation of variance
$0 $0 $0 $0 N/A

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