The federal government and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) have provided $335,000 in funding to support two feasibility studies aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the City of Hamilton. 

Hamilton Community Enterprises receives $175,000 to explore the commercial and technical viability of a district energy system that will use locally available industrial residual heat as a fuel source for a proposed low-carbon thermal corridor.

If successful, the project could provide enough heat for more than 80 million square feet of building space, the size of almost 1,400 football fields, which would decrease Hamilton's building carbon footprint by about 70% and spur job growth.

“The Energy Harvesting Study is an essential step toward the vision of building a state-of-the-art thermal corridor intended to connect all types of buildings in Hamilton and beyond with locally generated sources of low-carbon renewable waste heat,” said Jeff Cowan, President and CEO of Hamilton Community Enterprises. “In addition to lowering GHG emissions, the proposed green infrastructure project will help attract and retain advanced manufacturers as key contributors to our regional economy.” 

Meanwhile, the City of Hamilton receives $160,000 to study ways to develop a home retrofit financing program that will encourage homeowners to adopt energy efficiency improvements including fuel switching, air sealing, insulation and the purchasing of power-saving appliances.

The scope of the study will include identifying target areas for home energy upgrades, analyzing different program delivery models, examining ways homeowners can take advantage of other incentives and developing strategies to maximize uptake of the program once approved.

“We need to do everything we can to combat climate change, and this funding will help our city explore new low-carbon energy sources and help households make the switch to energy saving systems for their own homes,” said Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath. “I’m grateful for this federal support as we work to prepare Hamilton for a sustainable future.”

The funding is being provided through FCM’s Green Municipal Fund.