(Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW Staff)

By Ben Tompkins

Environmental impacts

City of Melfort applying for multiple ‘green grants’

Jan 11, 2023 | 1:07 PM

The City of Melfort is looking to make significant environmental impacts on a handful of community buildings, courtesy of ‘green grants.’

The city announced the approval of two applications, at its latest monthly council meeting.

The city announced its application for the Green Municipal Fund – Green House Gas (GHG) Reduction Pathway Feasibility Study as well as one for Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB).

The Green Municipal Fund is for studies that will help municipalities identify a sequence of GHG reduction measures—the “GHG reduction pathway.” It will help to reduce GHG emissions for community buildings by at least 50 per cent within 10 years and by at least 80 per cent (i.e. near net-zero GHG emissions) within 20 years while managing capital costs and reducing operating costs.

The grant will fund 80 per cent of eligible project costs up to $200,000.

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Meanwhile, the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) Program is a national merit-based program. Its objective is to improve the availability and condition of community buildings in Canadian communities experiencing higher needs and who are currently underserved.

At the same time, the program helps to stimulate the economy while creating good job opportunities and aligning with the goals of Canada’s strengthened climate plan.

The grant program is administered by Infrastructure Canada and supports retrofits, repairs or upgrades of existing publicly accessible community buildings and the construction of new publicly accessible community buildings that serve underserved and high-needs communities across Canada.

“These grants are important because they can help set offset the capital costs of doing these sorts of large construction projects or retrofits,” Melfort municipal project manager, Kalyna Livingstone said. “So for example, if we have the feasibility studies funded, that kind of sets us up for success with identifying what repairs or retrofits need to be done, and it can be used as supporting documentation for future grant opportunities.”

“Then for grants that are focused on the actual construction projects, it really does help the city have a direction to design the projects and how to deliver them and offset the costs of doing so. All of this works towards our goal of excellence and assets, and our facilities are some of our major assets in the community.”

For the proposed portfolio of the Green Municipal Fund, it includes the following buildings: Melfort Curling Rink, Historic Post Office, Kerry Vickar Centre (KVC), City Hall, Melfort Museum – Main Building, Melfort Museum – All Season Shop, Fire Hall, Works and Utilities Shop, Community Services Shop, Airport Building, Melfort Public Library, and Seniors Centre.

Financially, the project is estimated to cost up to $180,000 in total with the municipal share of the costs being $36,000.

This project would be funded through the infrastructure planning/engineering item under the planning, sustainment and development section of the 2023 capital budget.

As for the green and inclusive community buildings grant, it includes the Northern Lights Palace renewal project and the new library construction.

The Palace has estimated total eligible costs of $9.5 million of which the municipal share would be $1.9 million (20 per cent). The municipal share would be funded through the NLP rehabilitation budget item.

Meanwhile, the library has estimated total eligible costs of over $7.6 million of which the municipal share would be just over $3 million (40 per cent). The municipal share could be funded through the library rejuvenation/replacement budget item and community fundraising efforts.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8