Sep 13 2013
The Honourable Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and Jacques Demers, member of FCM's Board of Directors, member of the Fédération québécoise des municipalités Executive Committee, warden of the Memphrémagog RCM and Mayor of Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley, QC, today announced a Green Municipal Fund™ (GMF) grant and loan for the Montréal Borough of Saint-Laurent.
The borough will use the $1 million grant and $10 million loan to build an energy-efficient sports complex that will also serve as a hub for community activities and integration.
"The Harper Government is assisting municipalities across the country in achieving their goal of a cleaner and healthier environment for Canadians through the Green Municipal Fund," said Mr. Alexander. "Today's announcement is another example of how our government — in partnership with FCM — is helping Saint-Laurent build a greener future for its citizens. Not only will the new sports complex be energy-efficient, it will also support the community's economic development."
The 14,520-square-metre sports complex will house a pool, an indoor soccer field and a gymnasium. It will be one of the first sports facilities in Canada designed to achieve LEED® Gold certification. It is expected to consume 64 per cent less power than the National Energy Code for Buildings standard.
"The Green Municipal Fund offers a range of resources and services that specifically address the sustainable community development needs of municipal governments," said Mr. Demers. "The financing and knowledge provided by the Fund supports the development of communities that are more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable."
Geothermal systems, heat recovery systems, radiant flooring, energy recovery from wastewater, and high-performance windows will help reduce energy use at the new complex. Its energy use and performance will be closely monitored and documented so that adjustments can be made and energy savings objectives can be reached. Lessons learned will be widely circulated and will help to inspire similar projects in other municipalities.
"This new facility will enable us to consolidate services near the growing number of citizens who choose to live in our community. We are proud that, thanks to the Green Municipal Fund's support, we will soon be able to offer the public a building that meets top green building requirements," said Saint-Laurent Mayor Alan DeSousa.
This project is an exciting example of how funding from GMF can be combined with funding from other programs — in this case, from the Québec Ministère des Affaires municipales, Régions et Occupation du territoire (MAMROT) — to improve municipal infrastructure.
Source: http://www.fcm.ca/