Pilot project: Transportation networks and commuting options

We fund pilot projects that reduce pollution in Canadian communities by improving transportation systems and networks or encouraging people to switch to less polluting transportation options. This funding helps Canadian cities and communities of all sizes reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and improve their air quality.

Pilot projects assess technology or other solutions in real-life conditions. They evaluate either a small-scale version of a project or a full-scale, replicable version.

Your pilot will compare several options or assess the capacity of one option to do at least one of the following:

• Reduce the number of vehicles on the road, the number of kilometres they travel, or the amount of time they spend transporting people or goods
• Get people to use their vehicles more efficiently or switch to less polluting forms of transportation (i.e., a modal shift to public transit, walking, or cycling).

Your pilot project should assess whether the project meets the necessary requirements (e.g. financial, technical), has a solid business case and the ability to deliver strong environmental, financial and social benefits directly to your community or through replication in other municipalities. Your project’s outcomes should help you decide whether to scale up the use of the solution you are piloting.

Examples of what you might pilot:

• Ridesharing and ride hailing programs    
• On-demand transportation solutions 
• First- and last-mile solutions
• Bike sharing
• Connecting commuters to park-and-ride facilities
• Active transportation infrastructure (e.g., temporary bike lanes)
• Walking and cycling networks that promote accessibility and safety
• Integrated transportation solutions (e.g., bike share and transit) to reduce fuel consumption and promote transit use.
• Solutions to reduce personal vehicle use, reduce congestion and/or incent Zero Emission Vehicle adoption (e.g., low emission zones, commercial delivery vehicle measures) 

We will fund other innovative ideas! Contact us to see if your idea qualifies for funding.

What we’re looking to fund

FCM funds pilot projects that demonstrate most of the following characteristics:

• Transformative potential: The pilot project test solutions (e.g., knowledge, practices, technologies) that are beyond business-as-usual. The pilot project:
  • Is likely to result in a project that demonstrates significant performance improvements (e.g., improved levels of service, cost savings, energy efficiency, increased resiliency, environmental protection, improved human health)
  • Is audacious in that it requires a municipality to take on uncertainty over known best practices to achieve greater environmental benefits
  • Is designed to build the capacity of key stakeholders (e.g., municipal staff, elected officials, local trades)
  • Has the potential to generate new knowledge for the sector
  • Has a high likelihood of being replicated if successful

• Significant impacts: The project has the potential, at full scale, to generate significant measurable environmental results as well as economic and social benefits.
• Strong implementation framework: The project plan is robust and includes appropriate stakeholder engagement, planning, risk management and resourcing.

How to apply

We’re making changes to better serve you – with a new, direct application system and a detailed guide to walk you through the process!
 
GMF is still accepting capital project applications while we put the final touches on our new platform. Please contact us before applying.

1. Review the list of prerequisites and required supporting documents
2. Review eligible and ineligible costs.
3. Confirm that you’re securing other funding sources for your project:
   1. Sample Letter Confirming Consultation with Provincial/Territorial Government (a prerequisite for all applicants, except municipal governments in Quebec)
   2. Sample Letter from Confirmed Funding Sources (required for each contributing organization, including the lead municipality)

Quebec municipalities

FCM has an agreement with Quebec's Ministre des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation (MAMH) that allows the ministry to review applications to GMF before they are submitted to FCM. Quebec municipalities applying for funding from GMF must follow the process below to submit their application to MAMH.

Once you have completed all the steps in the ‘How to apply’ section, submit your application by following the steps below. Note that the content of the links is available in French only.

1. Save your application form using the appropriate file name.
   1. Save the application form to your local device with the following filename: FMV_ "your municipality's name"_ "date" (YYMMDD). For example: FMV_TownofABC_180228.pdf

2. Log in to the Portail gouvernemental des affaires municipales et régionales using your username and password. Select the program, "MAMH - Fonds municipal vert".

3. Upload and submit the application form through the portal. Note this is an external site.

4. Receive confirmation from MAMH.
   1. MAMH assesses the applications to ensure that the projects submitted do not conflict with Quebec's government policies and directives. Once the assessment has been completed, MAMH informs the applicant of their decision and sends compliant applications to GMF for review.
   2. MAMH requires up to 15 working days to review the application and forward it to GMF.
5. Receive approval from GMF.
   1. GMF will inform the applicant once they receive the application from MAMH and review the submission. If the application is approved for funding, an agreement between FCM and the applicant is prepared.