Executive summary
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Pathway Feasibility Studies Program: The Federation of Canadian Municipalities offers several funding programs for municipalities across the country for environmental projects through their Green Municipal Fund. The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Pathway Feasibility Studies Program focuses on integrating energy and GHG reductions into longer term management plans for local recreational and cultural facilities. Studies in this stream will include feasibility work to support near-term and long-term capital projects while mapping out a course to extend asset life and reduce cost of ownership (i.e., the total capital, operating and maintenance costs over the building’s remaining useful life). The studies must include a sequence of GHG reduction measures that allow, at minimum, local recreational and cultural facilities to achieve 50 percent GHG reductions within 10 years and 80 percent GHG reductions within the next 20 years. To be eligible for this grant, projects must include at least one municipally owned community building. Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP): Transportation accounts for approximately 25 percent of Canada’s GHG emissions, of which almost half comes from passenger cars and light trucks. Driving down transportation emissions is critical to achieving the Federal Government’s ambitious climate change commitments and is consistent with the global shift toward zero-emission vehicles. Funded through Budget 2019 and the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) is a 5-year $280 million program. Its objective is to address the lack of charging and refueling stations in Canada; one of the key barriers to zero emissions vehicle adoption, by increasing the availability of localized charging and hydrogen refueling opportunities where Canadians live, work, and play. This program is administered through Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). The program targets the following infrastructure streams:
- Public Places
- On-Street
- Workplaces
- Multi-Unit Residential Buildings
- Commercial and Public Fleets
The City applied under the public places stream which supports electric vehicle charging infrastructure deployment in parking areas intended for public use. The City’s application, submitted in June 2021, was for the installation of 26 electric vehicle chargers at several recreational facilities and parking lots throughout the city. One level 3 charger for Parking Lot 5 was also part of the application.
Climate implications
The four facilities included in the FCM application represent 15 percent of the City’s corporate emissions, for a total of 1058tons of CO2e (2019). The objective of the studies is to provide a pathway to meet, at a minimum, a 50 percent GHG reduction within 10 years and an 80 percent GHG reductions within the next 20 years, through either one large deep energy retrofit or several small retrofits that align with various capital renewal projects. If the implementation of these pathways is successful at these four facilities, the City’s corporate emissions would be reduced by 12.1 percent (846t CO2e) when all measures have been implemented. The City is encouraging the use of electric vehicles in both our corporate fleet as well as by the public by providing more electric vehicle charging facilities throughout the city. The City of Burlington continues to show leadership in greenhouse gas reductions through these installations.