The Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities launched the Municipal Energy Roadmap. This decision-support tool provides specific guidance to identify the most impactful solutions for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
According to the report, energy is a climate issue, as it accounts for over 80 percent of Canada’s national GHG emissions. The Municipal Energy Roadmap will help municipalities discover solutions for energy efficiency in municipal, commercial, and residential buildings; learn about solutions for community sustainable energy generation; and implement strategies to drive these solutions forward.
“Local governments are critical partners in the fight against climate change. Tools to determine where we can best reduce emissions such as the Municipal Energy Roadmap are vital to support the deployment of clean technologies, create good jobs, and help Canadians save money,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “Together, we are making progress toward meeting and exceeding our Paris Agreement targets and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”
The initiative is part of the Green Municipal Fund, a $1 billion program funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. It is the first in a series of five municipal sector tools that aims to help Canadian municipalities identify the most promising sustainability solutions for their local context.
“For 20 years, GMF has helped municipalities switch to innovative sustainable practices faster,” said Bill Karsten. “Maximizing results requires more than funding. Municipalities want to plan, initiate, and maintain projects more efficiently for the long term. The Energy Roadmap will help them get there-and enable local action that can help achieve Canada’s climate change goals.”
By working with residents, businesses and other stakeholders to create jobs, lead economic recovery, and significantly improve quality of life for residents, the roadmap is also improving the environmental footprint of municipalities and contributing to their long-term sustainability objectives.
GMF-funded projects have cut 2.6 million tonnes of GHG emissions – the equivalent of taking 594,000 cars off the road. GMF supports local innovation that can be replicated and scaled up across the country to tackle Canada’s climate challenges.
To read the complete Municipal Energy Roadmap, click here.
Note: The report was developed before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the strategies covered in the report can play an important role in economic recovery and local job creation. The addendum addresses the impact of COVID-19 on energy projects. To read the addendum, click here.
