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Canada and FCM invest in sustainable projects in Quebec

QUEBEC CITY — On Mar. 14, Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, on behalf of Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, and Scott Pearce, Second Vice-President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) announced a combined investment totalling more than $12.6 million through FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF) to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reduce waste and improve the quality of water in communities across Quebec.

The City of Québec, together with the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Québec-Université Laval, receives $11.5 million, including a $10-million repayable loan) for the construction of a heating system on the site of the Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus, using steam discharged by the city’s municipal incinerator. The project would reduce GHG emissions produced by the new energy plant, improve air quality, reduce the incinerator’s potable water requirements and generate energy savings for the hospital.

Réemploi+, in partnership with the Régie des matières résiduelles (RMR) du Lac-Saint-Jean, receives $400,000 to carry out a pilot project that will significantly reduce GHG emissions and divert more than 5,000 metric tonnes of waste from the ecocentres run by the RMR each year. Instead of going to landfill, reusable items will be repaired and offered for sale at three “re-used materials hardware stores” in the region and online. Skills training will be available for people needing special support to enter the job market through this project.

The City of Rivière-du-Loup receives $400,000 to conduct a pilot project to increase the capacity of Rivière-du-Loup’s wastewater treatment plant using technology not used anywhere else in the province.

The Municipality of Sainte-Hedwidge receives $240,200 to implement a centralized biomass heating system to meet the heating needs of three buildings (city hall, the church and presbytery and the municipal garage/fire hall).

The City of Candiac receives $54,750 to complete a feasibility study on the implementation of an energy recovery loop to distribute heating and air conditioning between emitters (industrial buildings) and receivers (municipal and residential buildings) in the Montcalm downtown area.

The City of Drummondville receives $36,160 to carry out a pilot project in partnership with the Regional County Municipality (RCM) of Drummond to recover and recycle bulky items and CRD (construction, renovation, demolition) waste from the residential and business sectors.

The Town of Amqui receives $29,900 to set up a pilot project to ensure the sustainable management of storm water in the town’s Blais sector, a typical neighbourhood of family homes located on a steep slope upstream of the Matapedia River.

The Green Municipal Fund (GMF), administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, is funded through an endowment by the Government of Canada.