January 24, 2024 Peterborough, Ontario Natural Resources Canada
With energy use in public buildings producing up to 50 percent of municipal emissions, Canada's municipalities are in a pivotal position to tackle climate change. This is why the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities are supporting green solutions from coast to coast to coast.
Today, Ryan Turnbull, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and MP for Whitby, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Scott Pearce, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), announced an investment of $9.3 million ($1,226,080 in grants and $8,173,910 in loans) through the Green Municipal Fund to construct a new net-zero fire station in the City of Peterborough, Ontario.
The new station will replace the existing Fire Station 2 at Carnegie Road, which is over half a century old and unable to meet the city's needs. The new station's energy efficient design will utilize renewable energy to achieve net-zero emissions. The building will pursue certification through the Canada Green Building Council, installing automated control systems, ground source heat pumps, solar panels on the rooftop and a heat-recovery system. The building will also be constructed from mass timber instead of concrete, steel or aluminum to achieve a lower carbon footprint. It will also include water saving features and be resituated to reduce flood risk and meet operational standards. The green design is expected to save the city an estimated $24,270 per year in operational costs.
The Green Municipal Fund (GMF), administered by the FCM, is funded through an endowment by the Government of Canada. GMF helps local governments switch to sustainable practices faster. Its unique mix of funding, resources and training gives municipalities the tools they need to build resiliency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
