GTA projects target net-zero
Two Toronto projects will share in $175,000 worth of federal funding to explore low-carbon and renewable energy projects.
The Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) announced the funding on July 27. The money is being provided through FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF).
One project sees the City of Toronto receive $29,000 to study the best solution for designing a net zero energy building for the North East Scarborough Community and Child Care Centre, located at Joyce Trimmer Park, 8450 Sheppard Avenue. The study has now been completed and construction is underway.
The city is also receiving $146,000 for a similar study for the Western North York Community & Child Care Centre at 60 Starview Lane. Both studies incorporate strategies to deliver energy, water and waste reduction.
The expected environmental benefits targeted by these studies are to achieve 100 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The projects will also have economic development and productivity benefits that will contribute to the long-term financial stability and prosperity of the community. Social benefits of these projects include the improvement of the community’s quality of life, the revitalization of community bonds, and increased opportunities for public education and awareness.
“We know Toronto buildings are a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions,” said Mayor John Tory. “We have a goal in Toronto to reach net zero by 2040 and a big part of getting there means understanding and exploring what more can be done to make buildings more efficient. This new funding is helping us understand that better and reach our goals of reducing our footprint quicker."
The Green Municipal Fund, which is administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, is funded through an endowment by the Government of Canada. The fund helps local governments switch to sustainable practices faster.
“Local governments own sixty percent of the country’s infrastructure,” said FCM president Taneen Rudyk. “With support from the Green Municipal Fund, municipalities of all sizes are implementing smart sustainable solutions to improve their infrastructure; this is exactly what the City of Toronto is doing with their studies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions community and child care centres in North East Scarborough and Western North York."
The Government of Canada is also developing a Green Buildings Strategy to help Canada move toward a resilient, net-zero emissions buildings sector by 2050. The strategy will focus on increasing the rate of building retrofits, ensuring buildings are resilient and net-zero ready from the start, and supporting systems change for the buildings sector of the future.