ELIZABETH METIS SETTLEMENT,
AB, April 29, 2024 /CNW/ - Upgrades to the
local community hall will create a better and more energy efficient
gathering space after an investment of nearly $250,000 from the federal government.
Announced by Minister Randy
Boissonnault and Elizabeth Metis Settlement Chairperson
Kathy Lepine, this project
will improve the main community facility in the settlement where
people gather for cultural, recreational and local activities
throughout the year.
Upgrades are underway to the community hall that will reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and maintenance costs through the
replacement of furnaces, installation of smart thermostats, low
flow water fixtures, LED lighting and solar power. The Elizabeth
Metis Settlement Community Hall is located in the centre of
the community and is widely used by everyone living in the area as
a meeting place for social activities and celebrations. The
facility is a common gathering place for youth and seniors and
houses a stage for live performances, a kitchen, a health nurse
station, exterior playgrounds and baseball fields. As such a
central and important hub to the community, improvements to the
facility will increase the quality of life for all members of the
Elizabeth Metis Settlement.
Funding announced today by the federal government through the
Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program aims to improve the
places Canadians work, learn, play, live and come together by
cutting pollution, reducing costs, and supporting thousands of good
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.
Quotes
"Transforming recreational spaces into green, accessible places
is key in our support for Canadians. Energy efficiency in the
Prairies is an essential part of cultivating community economic
development. By upgrading parts of the Elizabeth Metis Settlement,
our Government is working to create a better quality of life
through investments that will last into future
generations."
The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment,
Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the
Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and
Communities
"The natural environment has always been important aspect of
Metis Culture. We at Elizabeth Metis Settlement are proud to be a
part of Canada's plan to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. On behalf of our people and future
generations thank you for your work and foresight in keeping our
beautiful country clean, hiy hiy."
Kathy Lepine, Chairperson,
Elizabeth Metis Settlement
Quick Facts
- The federal government is investing $249,999 in this project through the Green and
Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program and the Elizabeth
Metis Settlement is contributing $39,719.
- These enhancements are expected to reduce the facility's energy
consumption by an estimated 47.3% and greenhouse gas emissions by
79.3 tonnes annually.
- The GICB 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 is providing $1.5
billion over five years towards green and accessible
retrofits, repairs or upgrades.
- At least 10% of funding is allocated to projects serving First
Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous
populations in urban centres.
- The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program is now
closed.
- On December 18, 2023, the federal
government launched the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy,
which highlights the need for a collaborative, region-specific
approach to sustainability, focusing on strengthening the
coordination of federal programs, and initiatives with significant
investments. This Framework is a first step in a journey that will
bring together multiple stakeholders. PrairiesCan, the federal
department that diversifies the economy across the Canadian
prairies, has dedicated $100 million
over three years to support projects aligned with priority areas
identified by Prairie stakeholders to build a stronger, more
sustainable, and inclusive economy for the Prairie provinces and
Canada.
- Infrastructure Canada is
supporting the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy to
encourage greater collaboration on investment opportunities,
leverage additional funding, and attract new investments across the
Prairies that better meet their needs.
Associated Links
Green and Inclusive Community Buildings
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gicb-bcvi/index-eng.html
Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html
Federal infrastructure investments in Alberta
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-ab-eng.html
Building a Green Prairie Economy Act
https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/B-9.88/page-1.html
Building a Green Prairie Economy
https://www.canada.ca/en/prairies-economic-development/programs/green-prairie-economy.html
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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada