Shifts in weather patterns are continuing to occur throughout many regions of Canada, and municipalities need to be prepared to deal with the fluctuations. Saint John, New Brunswick and the County of Annapolis, Nova Scotia have recently received federal government funding for cleantech projects to increase their resilience against climate change. The funding will allow the two communities to invest in green infrastructure and reduce their carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.
The City of Saint John and the County of Annapolis have been awarded $2.8 million in climate change grants from the Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program (MCIP).
The Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program is a federal initiative that provides funding, training, and additional resources to help Canadian municipalities adjust to the effects of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Saint John and Annapolis County’s grants for municipalities will support energy retrofits and efficiency upgrades for local infrastructure to reduce GHG emissions, safeguard public health, and protect the environment.
$2.8M in Funding for Cleantech Initiatives Invested into Atlantic Canada Municipalities
The City of Saint John and the County of Annapolis in Atlantic Canada have recently received support from the Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program for green infrastructure projects to build healthier and cleaner communities that can adapt to sudden weather changes.
$2.8M in climate change grants for municipalities are being awarded to two communities in the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The City of Saint John, New Brunswick will be utilizing the federal government funding from the Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program to undertake a large-scale modernization project to the historic City Market. The market will receive upgrades to make it more energy efficient, which will reduce its carbon footprint and increase its lifespan. This project is expected to reduce the City Market’s greenhouse gas emissions by 83%, as well as reduce annual maintenance and energy costs.
In addition to the renovations to the Market, the City will use the funding for cleantech to build a new multi-purpose sports, recreation, and wellness facility. The facility’s grounds will include wetland features, making it possible to adapt to storm water flooding and sea-level surges caused by dramatic climate changes.
The County of Annapolis, Nova Scotia will upgrade its Bridgetown & District Memorial Arena. Once the project is completed, power consumption levels will decrease, as well as GHG emissions, by 75%.
Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program: Climate Change Grants for Municipalities
The Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program (MCIP) is a federal government funding program administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). The program provides grants for projects supporting climate change initiatives.
The Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program provides up to 80% of project costs in funding for climate change projects.
The two streams of funding and examples of eligible projects include:
- Development of Climate Change Plans: GHG emissions reduction and community energy plans, transportation and land use plans, and climate change adaption plans.
- Studies of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Energy use studies, transportation studies, water studies, and extreme temperature studies.
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