TORONTO, June 23, 2022 /CNW/ - Improving energy efficiency in our communities is an important part of our ambitious plan to fight climate change in every region of Canada. It will help us exceed our climate goals, lower emissions where people live and work, create sustainable jobs and provide opportunities for Canadians to take the lead in building a clean and prosperous future that leaves no one behind.
Today, Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a $1.8-million investment in the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), which will increase energy efficiency in buildings across Toronto. Parliamentary Secretary Dabrusin made the funding announcement at Retrofit Canada Conference, where she spoke to delegates about the importance of the upcoming Canada Green Buildings Strategy and its role in creating a net-zero emissions building sector by 2050.
The TCHC and The Atmospheric Fund have also invested in the project, bringing the total project value to more than $6.7 million.
The federal investment will support the transformation of an energy-intensive, 80-year-old, mid-rise multi-unit residential building into a high-performance building with enhanced indoor environmental quality. The project will establish an innovative and replicable model for buildings in the TCHC portfolio and for similar buildings across Canada.
Net-zero-energy-ready buildings are designed and constructed to high performance standards and, with the future addition of clean power generation, are capable of producing at least as much energy as they consume on an annual basis.
Federal funding is being provided through Natural Resources Canada's Green Infrastructure – Energy Efficient Buildings Program. This program supports improvements to the design, renovation and construction of our homes and buildings. The government is advancing the development and implementation of building codes for existing buildings and new net-zero-energy-ready buildings through research, development and demonstration projects, in Toronto and across the nation. In addition, Budget 2022 proposed $150 million to develop The Canada Green Buildings Strategy, including initiatives to drive building code reform, accelerate the adoption and implementation of performance-based national building codes, promote the use of lower-carbon construction materials and increase the climate resilience of existing buildings, all to mobilize national action to create a net-zero-emissions buildings sector.
Through this program and others like it, the federal government is creating sustainable jobs, building a clean energy future and charting a path toward net-zero emissions by 2050.
"Our government has committed to supporting more energy-efficient communities across the country, to create good jobs, lower emissions and help Canadians save on monthly bills. Today's investment in energy efficiency in Toronto is the kind of initiative we need to make our homes and workplaces more comfortable and our lives more affordable, all while contributing to the fight against climate change."
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Natural Resources
"Affordability is a top concern for Canadians and our government. We save money when we use less energy. Today's announcement is another example of the opportunities we can create to keep money in our wallets and make our homes more comfortable while reducing greenhouse gas emissions."
Julie Dabrusin
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
"With the support of multiple levels of government, Torontonians and Ontarians can continue to take action on climate change. At TCHC, we thrive on partnerships like the ones we are highlighting today, with TAF, NRCan and the City of Toronto. Partnerships are critical on the path toward energy efficiency and a net-zero future. This deep retrofit project is exciting because we are reducing TCHC's energy costs, we are reducing our carbon footprint, and, most importantly, we are modernizing our buildings to improve living conditions for tenants. This deep retrofit is a prime example of how we can apply modern technology to older buildings like this one that is now 80 years old, and we look forward to what we can do moving forward."
Jag Sharma
President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corp.
"Retrofitting and electrifying all of Toronto's multi-family buildings is key to reaching our climate targets, helps to ensure more affordable housing and boosts local economic activity. But accelerating deep retrofits to meet these critical needs requires coordinated access to technologies, expert services, and financing — and a focus on outcomes. TAF's Retrofit Accelerator collaboration with TCHC can be a model for all housing providers in the region and beyond."
Julia Langer
CEO, The Atmospheric Fund
- Buildings and homes contribute approximately 18 percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.
- The Emissions Reductions Plan advances climate resiliency through the development of the $150-million Canada Green Buildings Strategy.
- The $182-million Energy Efficient Buildings Program is a part of the $180-billion Investing in Canada Plan, supporting the reduction of buildings emissions nationally.
- Green Infrastructure – Energy Efficient Buildings Program
- Towards Cost-Effective Net-Zero Energy Ready Residential Renovations
- CHBA Net-Zero Renovations
- Toronto Community Housing Corporation
- The Atmospheric Fund
- City of Toronto
- The Canada Green Buildings Strategy (nrcan.gc.ca)
- Retrofit Canada Conference
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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada
Natural Resources Canada, Media Relations, 343-292-6100, [email protected]; Keean Nembhard, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 613-323-7892, [email protected]
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