SUMMERSIDE, PEI, Dec. 8, 2020 /CNW/ - Canadians have learned the importance of forward planning and of sustained, collective action in this extraordinary pandemic year. COVID-19 will one day pass, but climate change will persist. The infrastructure decisions we make today will provide cleaner, healthier communities using innovative solutions to reduce pollution, improve energy efficiency, and create sustainable economic growth.
Even through the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) continue to make strategic investments through the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) to support more sustainable communities of all sizes. GMF is funded by the Government of Canada and delivered to municipalities by FCM.
Bobby Morrissey, Member of Parliament for Egmont, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; and Garth Frizzell, FCM President, today announced an investment of $11.5 million to build a solar energy farm and storage facility in Summerside through the Green Municipal Fund.
The Summerside Sunbank project will integrate a solar energy and storage system to its existing smart grid system and will have the potential to generate 32,000 MegaWatt-hours per year of solar energy. The project will allow the City to meet 62 percent of its electricity needs through renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8,128 tonnes per year. The project is also expected to create 210 full time equivalent jobs during the project construction and operation over its lifetime. Moreover, through the Green Municipal Fund, Summerside will share its lessons learned and innovative practices with other municipalities who would like to undertake a similar project.
Today's funding will build on a federal investment of more than $26.3 million announced in January 2020 through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada infrastructure program.
Quotes
"The Government of Canada is proud to support a clean and sustainable future for the next generation of Islanders through green infrastructure investments. Summerside's innovative project will create good jobs for residents and support local businesses. This project will strengthen our community, support economic growth, and help Summerside meet its electricity needs of the future."
Bobby Morrissey, Member of Parliament for Egmont, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
"We are reducing emissions, creating jobs, and helping Summerside power itself through renewable energy."
The Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Minister of Natural Resources
"Municipalities are important partners in climate action. These innovative 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
"Local governments influence half of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. That means local action is critical. With support from the Green Municipal Fund, this is what's happening: municipalities of all sizes are implementing smart climate solutions—like reducing GHG emissions through locally generated renewable energy. Empowering this local expertise is vital to meeting Canada's national climate goals. When orders of government work together and take action on climate, we're building more resilient communities."
Garth Frizzell, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
"With this announcement the people of Summerside can again showcase their innovative, entrepreneurial spirit. This announcement and the partnerships that have led to it, again highlight the value of our electric utility and the capacity we have to be nimble, responsive, and to provide national leadership in this sector. Summerside has always embraced leveraging the assets of its community to further the community's economic potential and partnerships and todays marks a major milestone in that journey to be 100% renewable."
His Worship Basil Stewart, Mayor of the City of Summerside
Quick facts
- The Green Municipal Fund is a $1 billion program, funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
- Since 2000, GMF has helped bring over 1,360 projects to life.
- GMF-funded projects have cut 2.7 million tonnes of GHG 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 Government of Canada 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.
- The Government of Canada has invested more than $365 million towards 132 infrastructure projects across Prince Edward Island under the Investing in Canada plan.
Related products
Backgrounder – Signature - Summerside Solar & Storage Integration project
Associated links
Green Municipal Fund
FCM Funding
Investing in COVID-19 Community Resilience
Investing in Canada plan – Building a Better Canada
Investing in Canada plan project map
Canada Healthy Communities Initiative
Federal infrastructure investments in Prince Edward Island
SOURCE Infrastructure Canada
Chantalle Aubertin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-941-0660, [email protected]; FCM Media Relations, 613-907-6395, [email protected]; Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected], Twitter: @INFC_eng, Web: Infrastructure Canada
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