Ontario is investing in local projects that will help to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by launching a new program for municipalities across the province. This initiative is part of Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan and is funded by proceeds from the province’s carbon market.
Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Chris Ballard made the announcement Aug. 14 at the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in Ottawa.
“Municipalities are important partners in the fight against climate change,” the ministry states in a press release. Ontario’s new Municipal GHG Challenge Fund will support projects such as renewable energy and energy efficiency retrofits to municipal facilities like arenas, and making energy-efficiency upgrades to drinking water or wastewater treatment plants, to achieve long-term and cost-effective pollution reductions.
Ontario is investing up to $100 million of proceeds from its carbon market in the Municipal GHG Challenge Fund in 2017/18.
Municipalities are invited to submit applications for the fund by Nov. 14. Selected projects will be announced in 2018.
Any Ontario municipality with a community-wide greenhouse gas emissions inventory, emissions reduction targets and a strategy to reduce emissions is eligible to apply. Municipalities may request up to $10 million per project.
Municipalities with a population of less than 10,000 that do not have a community-wide greenhouse gas emissions inventory, reduction targets and a plan, may applly through the Very Small Municipalities Stream using the same application.
