Financial support worth CA$6,920,000 for sustainable community planning, wastewater and solid waste control, and sustainable energy use was announced during the proclamation of Energy Conservation Week at the City of Thunder Bay, Ontario last Tuesday (May 19). Called the Green Municipal Fund, the endowment will be given by the government of Canada and handled by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).

For the two sustainable community projects, Thunder Bay will: (1) redevelop a 21-acre former snow and construction debris dump site near Lake Superior waterfront into a regional emergency services training center with green features on energy and water efficiency and storm water management; and (2) implement the Thunder Bay Climate Change Action Plan (or the EarthWise Thunder Bay Community Environmental Action Plan) which aims to reduce corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by about 35% and the community GHG emissions by about 10% in 2017.

Two goals are set for the wastewater project: (1) to determine if improvements on the Atlantic Avenue Water Pollution Control Plant could include conversion from primary to secondary treatment, conversion from chlorine gas to ultraviolet disinfection, and the addition of ammonia removal and a cogeneration facility; and (2) to document the development of a similar pilot-based project which can be adopted by other communities.

The sustainable energy project studied the feasibility of using the Thunder Bay Loch Lomond water system infrastructure in generating hydroelectric power and supplying untreated water to local businesses. The project also studied what facilities are needed by the Loch Lomond system to provide treated potable water to the Fort William First Nation.

FCM, since its establishment in 1901, has been fostering sustainable communities. It also funded the development of a Net Zero Business Guide which was simultaneously launched with the Green Municipal Fund.


-  Jen Balboa

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¹ http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2009/19/c5218.html