The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, launched calls for expressions of interest (EOI) and funding proposals for three programs that help support diversification, innovation and competition in the Canadian forest sector.
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, released Powering Canada Forward, the Government of Canada’s vision for transforming Canada’s electricity sector, to decarbonize our grids by 2035, keep our electricity systems reliable and ensure household energy costs are affordable. This project rivals any nation-building project in Canada’s history.
Irek Kusmierczyk, MP for Windsor—Tecumseh, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Scott Pearce, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), announced an investment of $1,034,216 for five projects across southwestern Ontario.
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced that Canada has supported the planting of over 110 million trees since the program was launched in 2021 - exceeding the goal to plant approximately 90 million trees during the first two years of the program and is putting us on track to achieve the two billion trees commitment. At an event today in Surrey, British Columbia, to support the Surrey Parks Forest Restoration Planting program, Minister Wilkinson planted a tree with Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke. The Minister also announced 16 new 2 Billion Trees program contribution agreements totalling over $100 million that will support the planting of an additional 56 million trees in the years ahead.
Through the Green Municipal Fund’s (GMF) Community Efficiency Financing (CEF) program, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, and FCM President Scott Pearce announced an investment of up to $500,000 to support HomeZero Collective Society’s home retrofitting pilot project in the City of Vernon, B.C.
The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, and Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi announced $47.8-million in federal funding from the Government of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program. This funding will support the planting of 1.5 million trees in Edmonton and is matched by $47.8 million in municipal funding. The municipal investment is part of the City of Edmonton’s $66-million new Greener As We Grow tree-planting project.
Member of Parliament Sean Casey, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, and Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) President Scott Pearce announced an investment of $1,886,000 to support two projects in Prince Edward Island through the Green Municipal Fund.
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a second call for proposals for the Critical Minerals Research Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) Program. A total of $40 million in contribution funding is available to support developing technology and pilot demonstration projects. These projects will help develop critical minerals value chains, contributing to Canada’s goal of becoming net-zero by 2050.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, announced over $160 million in federal investments for nine Alberta-based solar power projects that will create hundreds of jobs, generate significant clean solar power and deploy 163 megawatts (MW) of new solar generation and 48 MW of battery storage capacity. Taken together, these projects will not only enable local economic growth and deliver clean, affordable energy to communities but also reduce emissions equivalent to taking nearly 47,000 gas cars off the road every year.
In 2021, Natural Resources Canada contributed $8.5 million through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program to Mercer Peace River Pulp Ltd. Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, is pleased to announce that this contribution has resulted in a new, state-of-the-art woodroom.