New Green Municipal Fund investments in Alberta communities

In communities across the country, Canadians are experiencing the impacts of climate change. By investing in initiatives that lower emissions and increase the resiliency of communities, we are creating jobs and building Canada’s low-emission energy future.

The Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources and Joanne Vanderheyden, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), today announced an investment of one million dollars through FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF) to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve the quality of water and land in communities across Alberta.

The City of Brooks will receive $82,000 in funding to undertake a feasibility study to determine whether significant capital and operating cost savings can be achieved through the design of an innovative wetland-based wastewater treatment system. This would address the insufficient storage capacity of the current wastewater lagoons that are also in breach of provincial regulatory requirements.

The Town of High River will receive $35,150 to conduct a technical and financial feasibility study of constructing a pedestrian and cyclist bridge across the Highwood River to enhance the community’s connectivity and activity.

These varied initiatives highlight some of the ways GMF continues to build on its 20-year record of supporting transformative environmental initiatives at the municipal level. The Government of Canada has invested $1.65 billion in GMF since its inception, enabling municipalities to support projects like these that leverage local resources to drive innovative solutions.

“Our cities and communities influence half of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions,” Joanne Vanderheyden, President, Federation of Canadian Municipalities said in a released statement. “That means local action is critical. With support from the Green Municipal Fund, this is what’s happening: municipalities of all sizes are implementing smart low-carbon solutions. Empowering this local expertise is vital to meeting Canada’s climate goals. When orders of government work together to reduce emissions, we’re building more resilient communities.”