Taking action on climate change is key to succeeding in the clean growth economy. Cities and towns have increasingly become leaders in climate action and are responsible for decisions in important areas, such as waste collection. That's why the Government of Canada is working directly with cities to cut pollution, reduce waste, and create more jobs for Canadians.
Today, the Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced up to $6 million to support a City of Peterborough climate change initiative that is equivalent to removing 25,000 cars from the road for one year.
This funding will support the development of a centralized composting centre that will divert food and waste to a new, modern facility. It is projected that it will prevent approximately 32,000 tonnes of organic debris from entering the landfill each year and will support local job creation. Furthermore, the City of Peterborough has been running a small, successful, pilot Green Bin program for a number of years. This funding will support the expansion of this program city-wide.
The funding comes from the Partnerships stream of the Government of Canada's Low Carbon Economy Challenge, which invests in projects that reduce carbon pollution, save money, and create good jobs.
Canada's climate plan puts Canada on track for the biggest reduction in carbon emissions in our country's history. Emissions in 2030 are projected to be 227 million tonnes lower than projected before the Pan-Canadian Framework was adopted. That plan is just the beginning. The Government will continue to bring forward new and enhanced measures to ensure that Canada reaches it's goal of being net-zero by 2050.
Quotes
"Peterborough has been piloting a composting program for years. Our Government sees Peterborough as a leader in environmentalism and climate action. Today's investment of up to $6 million to expand Peterborough's composting program is a vote of confidence in our community."
- The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha
"We are excited about a city-wide organic waste collection and composting program. It will reduce both greenhouse gas emissions as well as our reliance on landfill. In addition, it will create composted material that will benefit our environment. It's a service that our residents have long been asking for that we're pleased to be able to deliver with support from the federal government's Low Carbon Economy Fund."
- Mayor Diane Therrien, City of Peterborough
Quick facts
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This project will reduce the need for chemical fertilizer production in agricultural communities and prevent runoff into local streams, lakes, and groundwater.
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The Challenge stream of the Low Carbon Economy Fund is an important part of Canada's climate action plan, and it's helping put Canada on a path to meet and beat our Paris Agreement target for 2030.
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Under the Low Carbon Economy Fund, the maximum percentage of total project costs the federal government can contribute toward a project varies depending on the recipient. The maximum federal share for specific recipients is as follows:
- 25 percent for businesses
- 40 percent for municipalities
- 40 percent for not-for-profit organizations
- 50 percent for provincial governments
- 75 percent for territorial governments
- 75 percent for Indigenous communities and organizations
