Canada and FCM support green infrastructure improvements in Edmonton

News release

Edmonton, Alberta, December 15, 2020—Canadians live in cleaner healthier communities when municipalities develop innovative solutions to reduce pollution, improve energy efficiency, and find new uses for public infrastructure.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) continue to make strategic investments to support more sustainable communities through the Green Municipal Fund (GMF). The GMF is funded by the Government of Canada and delivered to municipalities by FCM.

Today, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton; Ben Henderson, Edmonton City Councillor and Chair of the Green Municipal Fund Council; and Garth Frizzell, President of FCM, announced more than $9.6 million for an energy efficiency project in Edmonton through GMF.

The City of Edmonton’s Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) will help homeowners and business owners retrofit existing homes and buildings with energy efficiency measures and/or renewable energy sources.

CEIP is a two-year program that will be administered by the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre. The program will start financing residential upgrades and retrofits in its first year with commercial projects to follow in the second year. Altogether CEIP is aiming for 80 residential and 20 commercial retrofits within its two-year span. If this is successful, the city’s next goal will be to recapitalize the program.

Financing repayments will be collected by the municipality via the property tax process and will remain tied to the property upon sale.

The CEIP will track and report on the greenhouse gas emission reductions achieved, as well as energy consumption savings, and/or renewable energy generated.

The pandemic has made us think about what really matters in our communities, engage in meaningful conversations about taking care of those around us, and reflect on the kind of future we want to build. Together with our partners we will build a fairer and more resilient Canada that works for everyone.

Quotes

“Making our residential and commercial buildings more energy-efficient and resilient over the long-term is a pathway to greener, more sustainable communities that save us all money. The federal government’s support for Edmonton’s Clean Energy Improvement Program will help residents and businesses live and work in buildings that last longer, cost less, and generate cleaner air – so we can all breathe easier. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities.”

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“We are investing in the green projects we need to grow our economy, save Canadians money, create jobs and achieve our climate goals.”

The Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Natural Resources

“Municipalities like Edmonton are important partners in climate action. Their leadership in implementing local solutions to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions will help us achieve our targets and set us on the path to net-zero emissions by building upon the national work already underway to protect our environment, strengthen local economies, and create well-paying jobs in communities across the country.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

“Canadians are eager to find new ways to make their homes energy efficient, and to generate more renewable energy. Local solutions—scaled up—deliver vital national impact, like economic growth and the reduction of emissions Canada needs to meet its climate change goals. FCM’s Green Municipal Fund shows that when federal and local governments work together, we deliver results for Canadians.”

Garth Frizzell, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities

“This funding will support the growing number of Edmontonians who are concerned about climate change and want to make a difference. I’m confident these changes will help us stay on target to reach our climate goals.”

His Worship Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton

“For 20 years, the Green Municipal Fund has led the way in supporting innovative municipal sustainability projects across the country, improving the quality of life for millions of Canadians.”

Ben Henderson, Edmonton City Councillor and Chair of the Green Municipal Fund Council

Quick facts

  • The Green Municipal Fund (GMF) is a $1-billion program funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by FCM.

    • Since 2000, GMF has helped bring over 1360 projects to life.
    • GMF projects have cut 2.7 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions—the equivalent of taking 608,000 cars off the road.
    • GMF supports local innovation that can be replicated and scaled up across the country to tackle Canada’s climate challenges.
    • GMF has created over 11,700 jobs across the country.
  • Through the Investing in Canada plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes and Canada’s rural and northern communities.

  • As part of the Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada has invested over $4.9 billion in 352 infrastructure projects in Alberta.

  • To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new stream has been added to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.

  • The new Canada Healthy Communities Initiative will provide up to $31 million in existing federal funding to support communities as they deploy innovative new ways to adapt spaces and services to respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from COVID-19 over the next two years.

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Contacts

Chantalle Aubertin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
613-941-0660
Chantalle.Aubertin@canada.ca

Media Relations
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
613-907-6395
media@fcm.ca

Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
Email:
infc.media.infc @canada.ca
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Website: Infrastructure Canada

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