DIEPPE, NB, Dec. 16, 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.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Member of Parliament for Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Minister of Natural Resources, and the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change; and Garth Frizzell, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities; as well as representatives of the municipalities of Dieppe, Edmundston, Woodstock and Fredericton, announced over $2.2 million in funding through GMF for energy efficiency and infrastructure projects in four New Brunswick communities.
The four projects announced today include: a feasibility study on optimal energy efficiency measures for the Arthur-J.-LeBlanc Centre in Dieppe; a feasibility study for solar panels on the roof of the Jean-Daigle Centre and installing an energy storage system in Edmundston; energy efficiency upgrades to Woodstock's AYR Motor Community Centre; and a complete street project in Fredericton where infrastructure is improved for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit on Brookside Drive.
The goals and benefits of these projects are to improve building efficiencies, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, generate energy savings, improve road infrastructure, promote local expertise and resources, and enhance job creation locally.
The pandemic has offered an opportunity to 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
"These investments in innovative solutions to increase energy efficiency will help residents live in cleaner, healthier communities. The green projects in these four municipalities will not only generate cost-savings and reduce GHG's, they will help communities develop new ways to be resilient to climate change, and protect the well-being of families."
The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Member of Parliament for Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, on behalf of 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 are important partners in climate action. By making buildings more energy efficient, we can cut pollution, strengthen local economies, and create well-paying jobs in communities in New Brunswick. Together, we can create a cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous future for our children and grandchildren."
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
"Municipalities are Canada's builders. They own nearly 60 percent of the public infrastructure that supports Canada's economy and quality of life. Whether it's through higher energy efficiency of buildings, fewer greenhouse gas emissions or stronger local infrastructure, municipalities are building better lives for Canadians. Supported by our strong federal-municipal partnership, FCM is delivering world-recognized programs that help municipalities of all sizes do what they do best: deliver solutions that work."
Garth Frizzell, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
"The City of Dieppe is very pleased to partner with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to evaluate the feasibility of optimal energy efficiency measures for the Arthur-J.-LeBlanc Centre. Sustainable development is among our top priorities, and a project like this one will allow us to take yet another step towards becoming an eco-responsible city and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."
His Worship Yvon Lapierre, Mayor of the City of Dieppe
"For several years now, our strategic planning has been aimed at continually finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while promoting renewable energy. The feasibility study directly addresses this objective. We are very grateful to the FCM for its generous contribution and constant collaboration that allows us to take this first step in a very important project for the City of Edmundston."
Eric Marquis, Deputy Mayor of the City of Edmundston
"The City of Fredericton extends a sincere thank you to the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for the $500,000 in Green Municipal Funding we are receiving in support our environmental leadership efforts and the construction of our first complete street. Water and sewer work needed to be done along this key transportation corridor, which connects a commercial area to a growing residential area. With the funding, we were able to better serve pedestrians, cyclists and transit users, while continuing to move the high volume of vehicle traffic using the roadway."
His Worship Mike O'Brien, Mayor of the City of Fredericton
"The AYR Motor Centre energy retrofit project represents our first major step in becoming a more resilient and sustainable community. It will result in a $135,000 annual savings on power consumption and more importantly, it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 357 tons of CO2 per year. The retrofit would not have been possible without access to funding from the Green Municipal Fund."
His Worship Arthur Slipp, Mayor of the Town of Woodstock
Quick facts
- GMF 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 1360 projects to life.
- GMF-funded projects have cut 2.7 million tonnes of GHG emissions – the equivalent of taking 608,000 passenger vehicles 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 $505 million in 297 infrastructure projects across New Brunswick under the Investing in Canada plan.
- To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new stream has been added to the over $33-billion 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 COVID-19 Resilience Stream will help other orders of governments whose finances have been significantly impacted by the pandemic by increasing the federal cost share for public infrastructure projects.
- The 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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Backgrounders
- City of Dieppe: Assessing the feasibility of optimal energy efficiency measures for an arena
- City of Edmundston: Signature: Demand management – Renewable energy and energy storage
- City of Fredericton: Brookside Drive – Fredericton's First Complete Street
- City of Woodstock: Implementing energy efficiency upgrades to the AYR Motor Community Centre
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 New Brunswick
SOURCE Infrastructure Canada
Contacts: 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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