Homes and buildings across Canada are where we work, live and play. But they are also Canada's third-largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Decarbonizing Canada's buildings is critical to combating climate change and achieving a net-zero economy by 2050.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources Canada, announced an investment of $160,200 for the Manitoba government to advance an energy-efficient retrofit in Winnipeg. The project will support the Province of Manitoba to undertake a front-end engineering design study of a deep energy retrofit of Gordon Bell High School, located in downtown Winnipeg, to evaluate cost-effective pathways.
Federal funding is being provided through Natural Resources Canada's Green Infrastructure - Energy Efficient Buildings Program. This program supports improvements to the design, renovation and construction of our homes and buildings.
The government is advancing the development and implementation of building codes for existing buildings and new net-zero-energy-ready buildings through research, development and demonstration projects in Winnipeg and across the country.
Programs such as this one have contributed to the objectives of the upcoming Canada Green Buildings Strategy. Minister Wilkinson launched consultations on the Strategy on August 17, 2022, which will seek to accelerate deep energy retrofits, transform space and water heating, and build net-zero and climate-resilient buildings from the start. Canadians can have their say in the drafting of the Strategy here.
