HALIFAX,
NS, July 17, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the
Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and
Communities, announced the dates for a new intake for applications
through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program.
This will be the third intake under the Program, which sees the
federal government invest in retrofits, repairs, and upgrades to
existing community buildings – making them greener and more
accessible – as well as the construction of new publicly accessible
ones in underserved communities.
Examples of these buildings from earlier rounds of funding
include cultural and recreation centres, libraries, and Indigenous
lodges for elders in their communities. From places like Science
World in Vancouver, the Sports
Complex in Whitby, to spaces like
the deCoste Centre in Pictou –
investments through this fund ensure that Canadians can keep
enjoying their communities at energy-efficient and modern
facilities.
The online application portal will be open on August 1, 2024, for small and medium retrofit
projects, and on September 4, 2024,
for large retrofit projects and new builds. Both intake streams
will close on October 16, 2024, at
3:00 p.m., ET.
The federal government recognizes the importance of community
spaces and remains committed to strengthening and revitalizing
Canadian communities, ensuring we remain connected through common
interest and shared spaces.
Quotes
"Community buildings are invaluable parts of our societies. They
bring people together, they help us learn, they help us stay
healthy – they make communities whole. Through this intake we will
be able to support more of them, while helping build new ones as
well.
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing,
Infrastructure and Communities
Quick facts
- A "small and medium retrofit" is defined as those projects with
eligible costs ranging from $100,000
to $2,999,999, while "large retrofit
projects and new builds" have eligible costs which range from
$3 million to $25 million.
- Eligible applicants include provincial, territorial, and local
governments, not-for-profit and Indigenous organizations, as well
as applicants who were unsuccessful under previous intakes.
- The GICB Program aims to improve the places Canadians work,
learn, play, live and come together by cutting pollution, reducing
costs, and supporting thousands of jobs. Through green and other
upgrades to existing public community buildings and new builds in
underserved communities, the GICB program helps ensure community
facilities are inclusive, accessible, and have a long service life,
while also helping Canada move
towards its net-zero objectives by 2050.
- The Program was created in support of Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy
Environment and a Healthy Economy. It is supporting the Plan's
first pillar through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the
increase of energy efficiency, and helping develop higher
resilience to climate change.
- The Program launched in 2021 with an initial investment of
$1.5 billion over five years towards
green and accessible retrofits, repairs and upgrades of existing
community buildings and the construction of new publicly-accessible
community buildings. Budget 2024 committed an additional
$500 million to support more projects
until March 2029.
- The Program aims to have at least 10 percent of funding
allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis
communities, including Indigenous populations in urban
centres.
- To date, the federal government has allocated $1.5 billion of which 196 projects representing
over $1.16 billion have been
announced.
Associated links
Green and Inclusive Community Buildings
Strengthened Climate Plan
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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities