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Affordable housing providers in Canada navigate a challenging landscape, grappling with high upfront costs, funding complexities, regulatory hurdles, and the need to minimize tenant disruptions. These challenges can make embarking on energy efficiency projects seem overwhelming. Our Housing Providers’ Toolkit, developed with insights from experienced housing providers, offers practical solutions and guidance to tackle these challenges head-on.

This webinar explores how the Housing Providers’ Toolkit can transform your approach to affordable housing projects. Whether you're considering a retrofit or planning a new build, this toolkit is designed to demystify the complexities of energy efficiency and make your projects more viable and impactful.

This webinar was delivered in English with French simultaneous interpretation. 

Watch the webinar recording to:

  • Learn how to use the innovative project cash flow calculator and energy benchmarking tool
  • Understand how to evaluate the energy-saving potential for various housing projects, including retrofits and new builds
  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of the Housing Providers’ Toolkit in the context of your projects
  • Obtain practical strategies and clear steps for integrating energy efficiency into your housing efforts

Speaker:

  • Olivier Cappon, Senior Director, Canadian Institute for Energy Training (CIET)

FCM’s Sustainable Affordable Housing initiative is delivered through our Green Municipal Fund and funded by the Government of Canada.

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Municipalities can significantly reduce their GHGs by improving the energy efficiency of community-owned recreation facilities, like indoor swimming pools. Pulling from the net-zero feasibility studies of four community centres with indoor pools in Ontario, this guide summarizes the typical measures taken and insights gained so that more Canadian communities can learn from the experiences of others and move forward with their own plans for net-zero swimming pools.

The guide provides information on:

  • successful and replicable measures that reduce GHG emissions of indoor swimming pools
  • key statistics from feasibility studies that will help you make the case for a net-zero plan
  • the importance of monitoring and management
  • additional resources and support for your net-zero building plan

Download the guide

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Featured resources

Guide: Taking your indoor ice rink to net zero

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Factsheets: Community Buildings Retrofit initiative

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Guide: Equity and non-energy benefits of community building retrofits

Explore how retrofits can build more equitable and resilient municipalities.

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Since 2001, FCM's Sustainable Communities Awards have celebrated the most innovative environmental initiatives in Canadian cities and communities of all sizes. We honour sustainability projects that demonstrate environmental responsibility and excellence while yielding social and economic benefits for their communities. 

The winning projects leverage current and advanced technologies as well as best practices in sustainability and can be replicated across the country to help achieve national climate goals and increase the quality-of-life of Canadians. The awards honour the most innovative and sustainable initiatives in seven categories:  

Applicants are encouraged to apply for the award category that best represents the primary goal or environmental benefit of their initiative. In addition, applicants will be asked to describe how their initiative: 

  • achieves multiple outcomes, including social, economic, and secondary environmental benefits
  • integrates anti-racism, equity and inclusion, and reconciliation (AREI+R) principles to ensure the most equitable solutions

Why apply? 

GMF is a national sustainability leader—as an award winner,  you’ll receive local and national recognition and promotion for your initiative. 

Benefits include: 

  • Recognition for your municipality’s accomplishments in sustainable development. 
  • Your initiative will be showcased at FCM’s Sustainable Communities Conference. 
  • Showcase your sustainability initiative as a scalable model that other communities can learn from. 
  • Receive a digital award badge to share on your website and social pages. 

Applications are now closed. Winners will be announced in 2025.

FCM's 2024 Sustainable Communities Awards

Award applications are now closed.

FCM’s Sustainable Communities Conference 2025

Save up to $200 by registering before December 13, 2024.

Read more

Frequently Asked Questions for FCM's 2024 Sustainable Communities Awards

Find answers to your questions about this year’s FCM Sustainable Communities Awards (SCAs) call for applications

Read more

Meet the judges

FCM's 2024 Sustainable Communities Awards

Read more

The Government of Canada recently established a standard that all new passenger vehicles sold be zero emission by 2035. This will exponentially increase demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging over the coming decades.

Charging at home is the most affordable and convenient option for most EV owners. Yet while a third of Canada’s population live in multifamily buildings, only a fraction have EV charging access. This is due to a range of barriers including high investment hurdle rates, an absence of incentive programs, complex internal approval processes and a lack of awareness regarding the upcoming surge in EV charging demand.

The time to act is now. This report outlines how Canadian decision-makers can support futureproofing of multifamily buildings and ensure all residents can access EV charging at home. It presents 16 recommendations related to policy, incentives, financing and capacity building to accelerate comprehensive retrofitting instead of incremental approaches.

Key takeaways

  • New policies and programs that enable comprehensive, whole building retrofits in multifamily buildings for “EV-Ready” parking are necessary to achieve local and national climate targets and equity goals around transportation.
  • To keep pace with the EV-ready retrofits that are needed, interventions should enable whole building, comprehensive retrofits over a fragmented approach.
  • Developing an approach to futureproofing EV charging in multifamily buildings is an equity issue, and this work should be designed to meet the needs of equity-deserving households.
  • Comprehensive futureproofing approaches can create strategic linkages with other urban climate priorities of broad building electrification and transportation modal shift.

Recommendations (next steps)

Based on the research and findings detailed in this report, we present our recommendations to support the widespread deployment of comprehensive futureproofing across Canada.

Read the report

Read the briefing

Quotes

“Comprehensive futureproofing of multifamily buildings with EV charging infrastructure is key to enable the full transition to EVs over the next 2-3 decades. With careful planning, these approaches can also enable broader building decarbonization by reserving limited electrical capacity for heat pumps and other electrification retrofits. While comprehensive EV futureproofing is the lowest cost approach on a life cycle basis, a variety of market failures prevent the condo and rental apartment sectors from implementing these approaches without supportive government policies and programs. Dunsky is proud to have served FCM and the LC3 Network, describing comprehensive futureproofing approaches and innovative policies and programs to drive their widespread adoption across Canada.”
—Brendan McEwen, Managing Consultant, Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors

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Funding Snapshot

Maximum Award:
$70,000
  • Grant up to 80%* of eligible costs 
  • Up to a maximum of $70,000 
Open To:

The following organizations are eligible for GMF funding. 

  • Canadian municipal governments (e.g., towns, cities, regions, districts, and local boards) 
  • Municipal partners, which include:  
    • Municipally owned corporations 
    • Regional, provincial or territorial organizations delivering municipal services 
    • Non-governmental organizations 
    • Not-for-profit organizations 
    • Research institutes (e.g., universities) 
    • Indigenous community 

For-profit entities are not eligible partners. 

Expected Output:

A feasibility study of a climate adaptation project that improves municipal readiness for climate events.

Application Deadline:

We are currently not accepting applications for this funding. Funding is scheduled to open with new application details in Spring/Summer 2025. To be the first to know when funding is open sign up to FCM’s Connect newsletter.  

See Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation for details about GMF’s adaptation funding and resources. Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada.

See Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation for details about our next funding application timeframe.

 

*The following applicants may qualify for additional grant funding of up to 100% of eligible project costs: 

  • Rural or remote communities, and municipalities with populations below 10,000, will receive a cost share of 90% 
  • Indigenous communities and local governments applying in partnership with an Indigenous community will receive a cost share of 100% 
 

What we fund

We fund feasibility studies that assess the viability of climate adaptation projects with expected eligible costs of up to $1M.

Feasibility studies (along with other verification methods) help you determine the practicality and viability of your project. This type of study usually examines a project’s financial, technical, legal and operational aspects, plus scheduling and other factors. Study results provide insights into the project’s achievability and the likelihood of its success.

Identifying a project’s potential challenges, risks and opportunities through a feasibility study enables decision-makers to make informed choices about whether to proceed, modify or abandon a proposed initiative.

What your project needs to achieve

We aim to fund high-impact initiatives and strive to make funding eligibility clear. 

The feasibility study must include the following: 

  • Focus on a project that would be eligible for funding under Adaptation in Action’s Implementation Projects funding offer, with a reasonable expectation that eligible project costs will not exceed $1 million 
  • An options analysis to assess the feasibility of incorporating nature-based solutions and minimizing or reducing project-related greenhouse gas emissions 
  • Assessment of the opportunities to benefit equity-deserving and marginalized communities through the project 
  • Inclusive engagement practices* as part of the study’s process  
  • Demonstration that new infrastructure assets are not at high risk of flooding damage (if the proposed asset will be located within the 100-year floodplain, the applicant will be required to show evidence that the asset has been designed to be resilient to flooding) 
  • Focus on a project that is aligned with a priority risk in your community’s climate risk assessment, or a priority action in your community’s climate adaptation plan 

*Inclusive engagement refers to a collaborative and participatory process that actively involves the diverse voices and perspectives within a community and ensures that all community members are given an opportunity to contribute to decision-making processes. 

 

 

 

Question 1

Which of the following best describes your organization?

Question 1a

Do you have a partnership in place with a Canadian municipality?

This funding is intended to support Canadian municipal governments and eligible partners with climate change adaptation.

Unfortunately, your organization cannot access this funding.

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

Question 2

Has your community completed a climate adaptation plan or a community scale climate change risk assessment? 

Question 3

Is your project intended to reduce impacts of climate change? 

Question 4

Are the estimated costs of the project that is the subject of the study anticipated to be less than $1 million?

Question 5

Will your project be undertaken and completed in the next two years?

It sounds like you have the start of an excellent project.

We are currently not accepting applications for this funding. Funding is scheduled to open in February 2025. To be the first to know when funding is open sign up to FCM’s Connect newsletter.   

See Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation for details about GMF’s adaptation funding and resources. Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

If you have questions regarding specific projects and alignment with GMF funding, contact a representative: 

No recommendation

This funding is intended to support Canadian municipal governments and eligible partners with climate change adaptation.

Unfortunately, your organization cannot access this funding because you are not partnered with a municipality on this project. 

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project supports climate change adaptation in your community. 

We are currently developing climate funding, training and resources that will help you develop climate adaptation plans and risk assessments. Consult the Adaptation resource library to discover best-in-class reports, guides, case studies and more, all aimed at helping you advance your community’s climate resilience. 

Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project supports climate change adaptation in your community.

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project be valued at less than $1 million.  

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project be completed in the next two years. 

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

This funding is intended to support Canadian municipal governments and eligible partners with climate change adaptation.

Unfortunately, your organization cannot access this funding because you are not partnered with a municipality on this project. 

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project supports climate change adaptation in your community. 

We are currently developing climate funding, training and resources that will help you develop climate adaptation plans and risk assessments. Consult the Adaptation resource library to discover best-in-class reports, guides, case studies and more, all aimed at helping you advance your community’s climate resilience. 

Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project supports climate change adaptation in your community.

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project be valued at less than $1 million.  

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project be completed in the next two years. 

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

Need help to see if this is the right funding for you?

Contact our Outreach team who can answer any questions you have relating to this funding opportunity.

Learn more about the Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative

Discover the ways GMF is supporting communities to become more resilient to climate change impacts.

Funding Snapshot

Maximum Award:
$1,000,000
  • Grant for 60%* of eligible costs 
  • Up to a maximum of $1 million 
Open To:

The following organizations are eligible for GMF funding. 

  • Canadian municipal governments (e.g., towns, cities, regions, districts, and local boards) 
  • Municipal partners, which include:  
    • municipally owned corporations 
    • regional, provincial or territorial organizations delivering municipal services 
    • non-governmental organizations 
    • not-for-profit organizations 
    • research institutes (e.g., universities) 
    • Indigenous community

For-profit entities are not eligible partners.  

Expected Output:

Climate adaptation implementation projects designed to help communities adjust and respond effectively to the impacts of climate change.

Emergency response and/or disaster recovery projects are ineligible.

Application Deadline:

We are currently not accepting applications for this funding. Funding is scheduled to open with new application details Spring/Summer 2025. To be the first to know when funding is open sign up to FCM’s Connect newsletter

See Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation for details about GMF’s adaptation funding and resources. Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada.

*Each of following applicants and projects receives a stackable incentive that is additional to the grant covering 60% of eligible costs. Projects may qualify for grant funding of up to 100% of eligible project costs if they qualify for all four of the following incentives:

  • +10% - for applicants that are Indigenous communities, local governments applying in partnership with an Indigenous community, or for projects that include two or more municipal governments.
  • +10% - for applicants that are rural and/or remote communities, and municipalities with populations below 10,000.
  • +10% - for projects that meaningfully address anti-racism, equity, and/or Reconciliation.
  • +10% - for projects that emphasize nature-positive adaptation.

What we fund

We fund projects that enhance long-term climate resilience in communities in an equitable and inclusive manner. This funding is intended for communities who are already aware of their climate risks and know which projects will help them make the greatest strides in improving their climate resilience. 

This funding empowers local governments to implement equity-informed climate adaptation projects, with an emphasis on projects that provide low-carbon and nature-positive community benefits. 

What your project needs to achieve 

To qualify for funding, proposed activities must support eligible applicants to implement measures that reduce impacts from climate-related events and hazards. They should be:

  • A new or subsequent phase of a climate adaptation project (retroactive funding is not available) 
  • Capable of completion within three years from the date of grant approval 
  • Eligible for required approvals, authorizations and permits (where applicable) 
  • Developed and constructed to ensure that hazard sensitivity is not increased, is not transferred to any parties or to the environment (e.g., transfer of flood risk downstream, destruction of habitat, introduction of pollutants to the environment), and is not maladapted (increasing sensitivity to other hazards)  

Eligibility requirements 

Eligible projects

Eligible climate adaptation implementation projects could include:  

  • Installing, retrofitting or upgrading public cooling/warming infrastructure (including natural infrastructure) to reduce community vulnerability to extreme temperatures (e.g., designated cooling/warming centres, cooling corridors, naturalized areas) 
  • Incremental operations to use existing assets to reduce hazard exposure during severe events (e.g., running heating/cooling centres) over a period of up to 18 months) 
  • Incremental costs associated with improving the design of a capital project to incorporate climate-resilient elements 
  • Enhancing municipal service levels to respond to climate risks 
  • Installing back-up power on critical infrastructure/facilities 
  • Relocating municipal infrastructure 
  • Installing, retrofitting or upgrading public structures or critical infrastructure for municipal service provision to reduce the risks associated with climate hazards 
  • FireSmart-aligned vegetative management or vegetation-based wildfire risk mitigation activities 
  • Installing, retrofitting or upgrading structural flood protection or stormwater collection works (e.g., sponge parks, flood conveyance works, pump stations, flood walls, flood boxes, debris catchment structures, jetties, detention ponds) 
  • Dam, dike or channel decommissioning and floodplain restoration 
  • Wetland restoration or construction 
  • Rehabilitating important aquifer recharge areas 
  • Installing, retrofitting or upgrading green infrastructure (e.g., rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs and/or permeable pavement) 
  • Shoreline rehabilitation, including restoring natural shoreline protection through natural infrastructure, beach nourishment and/or bank stabilization 
  • Slope stabilization projects that reduce the risk of debris flow, particularly in fire-impacted areas 
Eligible costs

Eligible costs are direct costs that are approved for funding, properly and reasonably incurred, and paid by the applicant to carry out eligible activities. Eligible costs can only be incurred from the date the full application is submitted until the date final reporting is submitted. 

Eligible activities

Risk-reduction activities under the Adaptation in Action initiative include constructing, modifying, or enhancing municipal or Indigenous infrastructure, services or lands to support municipal service delivery in a manner that reduces the risks of climate-related hazards. 

This funding is not intended to support future greenfield development in known hazard areas. Projects should focus on reducing the risks of climate-related hazards in relation to existing community composition, land use and infrastructure. 

This funding is not intended for climate disaster or emergency response preparedness. Projects should proactively address the impacts of climate change. 

For projects proposing eligible activities that involve tree planting: If the costs for tree planting exceed $50,000, a distinct application form will be required, as 50% of the tree planting costs will be funded by the Growing Canada's Community Canopies initiative.  

In addition to the criteria identified in the Eligible Projects section, Adaptation in Action projects must demonstrate that: 

  • Climate risk reduction opportunities have been identified for at least one of the following impact areas: 
    • Improving community well-being; 
    •  Strengthening and protecting ecosystems/natural assets; or 
    •  Increasing resilience of physical assets/municipal services to climate variability and change. 
  • Implications for equity-deserving and marginalized communities have been identified and consultation undertaken where warranted. 

 

Question 1

Which of the following best describes your organization?

Question 1a

Do you have a partnership in place with a Canadian municipality?

This funding is intended to support Canadian municipal governments and eligible partners with climate change adaptation.

Unfortunately, your organization cannot access this funding.

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

Question 2

Has your community completed a climate adaptation plan or a community scale climate change risk assessment? 

Question 3

Is your project valued at less than $1 million in eligible costs, and not already underway or a part of your routine work? 

Question 4

Will your project be undertaken and completed in the next three years? 

It sounds like you have the start of an excellent project.

We are currently not accepting applications for this funding. Funding is scheduled to open in February 2025. To be the first to know when funding is open sign up to FCM’s Connect newsletter.   

See Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation for details about GMF’s adaptation funding and resources. Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

If you have questions regarding specific projects and alignment with GMF funding, contact a representative: 

No recommendation

This funding is intended to support Canadian municipal governments and eligible partners with climate change adaptation.

Unfortunately, your organization cannot access this funding because you are not partnered with a municipality on this project. 

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project supports climate change adaptation in your community. 

We are currently developing climate funding, training and resources that will help you develop climate adaptation plans and risk assessments. 

Consult the Adaptation resource library to discover best-in-class reports, guides, case studies and more, all aimed at helping you advance your community’s climate resilience. 

Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project be valued at less than $1 million.  

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project be completed in the next three years. 

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

This funding is intended to support Canadian municipal governments and eligible partners with climate change adaptation.

Unfortunately, your organization cannot access this funding because you are not partnered with a municipality on this project. 

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project supports climate change adaptation in your community. 

We are currently developing climate funding, training and resources that will help you develop climate adaptation plans and risk assessments. 

Consult the Adaptation resource library to discover best-in-class reports, guides, case studies and more, all aimed at helping you advance your community’s climate resilience. 

Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project be valued at less than $1 million.  

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires that your project be completed in the next three years. 

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your project efforts and address municipal challenges.
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 

Need help to see if this is the right funding for you?

Contact our Outreach team who can answer any questions you have relating to this funding opportunity.

Learn more about the Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative

Discover the ways GMF is supporting communities to become more resilient to climate change impacts.

Funding Snapshot

Maximum Award:
  • Funding for up to 50%* of eligible costs 
  • Up to a maximum of $10 million** in project funding 
  • Up to a maximum of $1 million** in infrastructure activity funding 
Open To:

The following organizations are eligible for GMF funding: 

  • Canadian municipal governments (e.g., towns, cities, regions, districts and local boards) 
    • Eligible to apply in collaboration with other eligible municipal governments or alone 
  • Organizations applying in partnership with municipal governments, which include:  
    • Municipal corporations 
    • Regional organizations delivering municipal services 
    • Indigenous organizations (for-profit and not-for-profit) or Indigenous communities 
    • Not-for-profit organizations registered in Canada (e.g., charitable organizations; volunteer organizations; community, professional, industry or other associations; land conservation organizations; and non-government organizations) 
    • For-profit organizations or private-sector entities (legally incorporated or registered in Canada) 

The following entities are not eligible to receive funds directly: 

  • Homeowners 
  • Federal government entities and any organizations established by those entities 
  • Provincial and territorial government entities and any corporation that they own or control 
Expected Output:

A new tree planting project, with municipal government involvement and accountability.

Application Deadline:

The deadline to submit a full application for this funding is February 4, 2025 (aiming for the Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 tree planting season).

We recommend that you submit your application as soon as it is complete, so GMF can review it and flag any issues for your attention before the application window has closed. Applications that are incomplete when the application window closes will be deferred to the next funding cycle for assessment. 

See Growing Canada’s Community Canopies for details about our next funding application timeframe. 

Eligible Costs:

** Eligible applicants can receive funding for more than one tree planting project. The maximum amounts are funding limits per municipality for the lifetime of the funding through Growing Canada’s Community Canopies tree planting. This limit applies to all eligible applicants wishing to plant within the jurisdictional boundaries of a municipality.  

Lifetime funding per municipality:   

  • Up to a maximum of $10 million in project funding 
  • Up to a maximum of $1 million in infrastructure activity funding 

Contact us to learn more

What we fund

GMF’s Growing Canada’s Community Canopies (GCCC) initiative funds planting the right type of trees in the right places so that communities across Canada can grow, manage and protect their tree canopies.

When communities plant trees they benefit from carbon sequestration, enhanced biodiversity, and better climate resilience and well-being.  

To qualify for tree planting funding, your project must contribute to the planting of new trees with municipal government involvement and accountability. 

As tree planting benefits communities in diverse ways, projects with planting that supports environmental, economic and social objectives will be more likely to receive funding.

To meet your local needs, GMF will fund a combination of tree planting, including: 

  • Community-wide urban planting 
  • Forest restoration in naturalized areas 
  • Localized planting projects

Eligibility requirements 

Eligible costs

Eligible costs are direct costs that are approved for funding, properly and reasonably incurred, and paid by the applicant to carry out eligible activities. Eligible costs can only be incurred from the date the full application is submitted until the date final reporting is submitted.

Eligible activities

Funding for tree planting projects has been designed to support communities in making permanent additions to their forests.  

This funding aims to maximize the benefits of urban forestry through strategic tree-planting activities. That’s why we emphasize planting the right trees in the right areas—the trees are more likely to survive, and your project is more likely to meet its objectives. 

GCCC supports a variety of tree planting activities such as: 

  • Street tree planting, which is the thoughtful placement of trees along public streets, enhancing aesthetics, providing shade, improving air quality and reducing noise 
  • Urban planting in areas with low canopy cover, which lowers temperatures to lessen the urban heat island effect 
  • Park tree planting, which focuses on establishing new groves and revitalizing existing tree stands in public parks, keeping green spaces healthy and biodiverse 
  • Riparian planting in flood-prone areas, which can increase the infiltration and stability of soils
  • Forest restoration and reforestation, which can rehabilitate areas that have experienced die-offs caused by pests or wildfires  

We emphasize diversifying tree species because it increases biodiversity, resilience and ecological sustainability.  

Community engagement is a key priority. We award evaluation points to projects that demonstrate inclusive engagement, fostering a sense of ownership and understanding of the vital roles that trees play in urban environments.  

Through these targeted tree planting activities, we seek to fund thriving, resilient community canopies that make municipalities across Canada more livable. 


What your project needs to achieve 

We aim to fund high-impact initiatives and strive to make funding eligibility clear. 

For more information on this funding offer, please see the Growing Canada’s Community Canopies Application Guide – Tree Planting

Forestry requirements

Applications for tree planting funding should demonstrate the following: 

  • How the project is supported by municipal or regional policies, plans, programs and/or guidelines (e.g., urban forest management plans, urban forest, best management practices, tree protection bylaws, urban master plans, and/or other laws or policies [e.g., street scape]) dealing with canopy cover 
  • A planting plan that includes site selection, site analysis, tree selection, planting design, planting techniques and soil-preparation techniques  
  • Engagement with professionals (e.g., registered forestry professionals, arborists, ecologists, biologists, etc.) during project planning 
  • Inputs have been secured, or plans have been made to secure these inputs (i.e., tree stock availability, connection with nurseries, land/labour, project partners) 
  • Community engagement where the project is taking place 

Applicants must submit a planting plan demonstrating knowledge of site conditions (or plans to assess them) and showing that they are selecting the best tree species for the site(s) to fulfil the project’s objectives. A forestry professional must prepare or review this document.  

Maintenance plan

Applicants must describe a maintenance plan detailing how they will care for trees after planting. A monitoring and management plan must also be described, providing details about ongoing efforts to monitor tree health/survival and addressing tree mortality. 

Site location

We prefer projects planted on civic lands because they are more likely to be permanent. However, we will accept applications for planting on non-municipal lands where the lead applicant is accountable for ongoing tree maintenance and survivability during the first year.

Letters of support from landowners, including an acknowledgement of long-term tree ownership and responsibility, will be required for all planting sites on non-municipal land. 

Council support

All projects, regardless of the lead applicant or planting location, will require a resolution or letter of support from the council of the municipality in whose jurisdiction the planting is to occur.

Survivability

We’ve designed tree planting funding submission requirements and evaluation processes to increase tree survival rates. Applicants will need to describe their approach to tree mortality and replanting and describe their plan for maintaining the trees over the long-term. There will be a 10% hold-back (up to $100,000) for a maintenance and monitoring report that will need to be submitted one year after the planting is completed and will include tree survival rates. Project sites may also be audited to assess project success. 


Question 1

Which of the following best describes your organization?

Question 1a

Do you have a partnership in place with a Canadian municipality?

Question 2

Is your project valued at a minimum of $50,000* in eligible costs?

Question 3

Will this project result in incremental tree planting (over and above normal planting activities) and is not legislatively required?

Question 4

Will your project be undertaken and completed in the next three years?

It sounds like you have the start of an excellent project. We’d like to continue the conversation. 

The next step to confirm your eligibility is to contact a GMF representative. They’ll give you a pre-application form and support you in starting your application. 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, your organization cannot access this funding because you are not partnered with a municipality on this project. 

This funding is intended to support Canadian municipal governments and eligible partners with tree planting projects. 

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your community’s efforts to expand its canopy. 
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 
 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires your projects be valued at a minimum of $50,000. 


 
Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your community’s efforts to expand its canopy. 
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 
 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires your project to plant incremental trees that are not legally required to be planted. 


Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your community’s efforts to expand its canopy. 
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 
 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires your project be completed in the next three years.  

 
Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your community’s efforts to expand its canopy. 
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 
 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, your organization cannot access this funding because you are not partnered with a municipality on this project. 

This funding is intended to support Canadian municipal governments and eligible partners with tree planting projects. 

Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your community’s efforts to expand its canopy. 
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 
 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires your projects be valued at a minimum of $50,000. 


 
Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your community’s efforts to expand its canopy. 
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 
 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires your project to plant incremental trees that are not legally required to be planted. 


Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your community’s efforts to expand its canopy. 
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 
 

No recommendation

Unfortunately, this funding requires your project be completed in the next three years.  

 
Check out our resources for practical, hands-on tools and knowledge that can support your community’s efforts to expand its canopy. 
 
Sign up for FCM Connect to stay informed about GMF funding, resources and training. 
 
Discover other GMF funding offered to local governments to fund infrastructure and support a net-zero Canada. 
 

Need help to see if this is the right funding for you?

Contact our Outreach team who can answer any questions you have relating to this funding opportunity.

Learn more about the Growing Canada’s Community Canopies initiative

Discover the ways GMF is supporting communities planting trees to fight climate change.

As communities grow, local governments are looking for ways to accommodate, service and support new residents and businesses. However, finding space for additional housing, commerce and agriculture while aligning cost and environmental benefits to your community’s needs can be challenging.

To help municipal staff and elected officials overcome these challenges and make explore sustainable land use options, we’ve developed a pair of resources with support from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). This tool explores the financial and climate implications of potential projects and a guide that provides tips, strategies and a high-level understanding of how land use decisions can impact a municipality’s climate and fiscal sustainability.

Tool: Land use impact calculator

A plugin for Microsoft Excel, open to all members of the public, this tool can allow local governments to explore the potential impact of land use projects. Users can explore potential land use scenarios and their impact by imputing data related to buildings, services, infrastructure, transportation and municipal revenue.

Access the tool.

Guide: Climate and financial impacts of land-use decisions

This informational guide can help municipalities better understand the benefits of land use development while highlighting best practices and strategies that lock in positive fiscal and climate effects. It features a case study, links to helpful resources and a detailed comparison of the implications of three types of land use developments:

  • Walkable mixed-use infill (high density)
  • Transit-focused (medium density)
  • Residential-focused (low density)

Through this comparison, readers will form a better understanding of the impacts each project-type has on housing, transportation, energy, municipal finances and more.

Download the guide today.

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Event Details

Location
Online

Energy use in municipal, residential, and commercial buildings contributes significantly to Canada’s GHG emissions. Investing in building energy performance and resilience will not only decrease our buildings’ impact on the climate, but will also reduce maintenance costs, create jobs, and improve our quality of life.

This course series, Tackling energy use in municipal and community buildings, offers four self-paced, free, online courses for you to choose from that covers topics such as municipal leadership, community-scale energy solutions, and policies and programs designed to support community members. Once you have registered, the course you selected will be available to you for three months—although it’s estimated to take less than 10 hours to complete each course. You can take any number of courses and in any order, depending on your municipal priorities and needs.

Each course is divided into five modules. These modules include case studies and interviews with municipal champions across Canada, additional readings to support your learning and opportunities to connect, reflect and plan your next steps. Each module can be completed at your own pace and as your schedule allows, although we recommend that you try to complete one module per week. See more details below about each individual course.

The courses are based on the Municipal Energy Roadmap, which offers guidance in identifying the best solutions for Canadian communities to achieve significant GHG emissions reductions in their municipal and community buildings and meet their long-term sustainability objectives. More information is provided in our Municipal Energy Roadmap factsheets and webinar recording.

Course: Leading the way in municipal buildings

From "What can I do to improve the energy performance of buildings in my community?" to "How can I get it done?", discover how municipalities can model best practices to inspire their residents and businesses to take action.

Learning outcomes:

  • Articulate your top priorities and challenges related to improving the energy performance of your municipal buildings.
  • List examples of municipal champions and resources that can be sources of inspiration and best practices for your next energy initiative.
  • Describe one or more strategies to improve building energy performance that you may be able to implement in your own municipality.
  • Name five key steps to support project implementation and describe (at a high-level) how you can apply each step to your next energy initiative.
  • Identify next steps to continue your learning and build on the ideas covered in this course.

The learnings of this course can be applied to municipal projects that are eligible for support via our Sustainable Municipal Buildings funding offers and Community Buildings Retrofit initiative. Discover how we can support your next steps.

Course: Scaling up solutions for community energy generation

Explore two different approaches for adopting low-carbon energy solutions at a broader scale in your community: district energy systems and renewable energy generation systems, with a focus on wind and solar power.

Learning outcomes:

  • Compare the advantages and challenges of different types of community energy generation projects that municipalities can implement or support.
  • Name examples of different approaches for district energy and renewable energy generation and resources that can support implementation.
  • Describe one or more characteristics that determine if and how community energy generation makes sense for your municipality.
  • Identify four different ways that municipalities can be involved in community energy projects and describe at a high-level what steps each way might involve.
  • Explain how your municipality would be involved in a hypothetical community energy project and what actions you would take.
  • Identify next steps to continue your learning and build on the ideas covered in this course.

The learnings of this course can be applied to municipal projects that are eligible for support via our Community Energy Systems funding offers. Discover how we can support your next steps.

Course: Incentive and financing options for building energy upgrades

Learn how your municipality or organization can support residents and businesses to complete energy upgrades to existing homes and buildings.

Learning outcomes:

  • Explain the value of financing/incentive programs in supporting community members in completing energy upgrades.
  • Identify relevant examples of financing/incentive programs across Canada and draw connections to your local context.
  • Describe what financing/incentive program models might make sense for your municipality and any challenges that might be involved.
  • List key steps or considerations involved in designing and implementing financing/incentive programs.
  • Name common challenges and best practices related to designing programs with an equity lens.
  • Identify next steps to continue your learning and build on the ideas covered in this course.

The learnings of this course can be applied to municipal projects that are eligible for support via our Community Efficiency Financing initiative. Discover how we can support your next steps.

Course: Advancing high-performance buildings in your community

Discover opportunities for municipalities to drive deep GHG reductions in buildings—and in their communities more broadly—through policies and programs that normalize the adoption of climate-friendly choices.

Learning outcomes:

  • Articulate how municipalities can help meet net-zero targets in our communities, with a focus on community buildings.
  • Describe specific policy levers that municipalities can use to contribute to the improved performance of new buildings and neighbourhoods.
  • Explain how municipalities can raise awareness of the benefits of high-performance buildings through energy rating and disclosure programs and other initiatives to engage community and industry members.
  • List key steps and considerations for designing and implementing policies and programs to achieve high-performance buildings and neighbourhoods.
  • Identify next steps to continue your learning and build on the ideas covered in this course.

The learnings of this course can be applied to municipal projects that are eligible for support via our Net-Zero Transformation funding offers. Discover how we can support your next steps.

SELECT A COURSE

Summary

To reduce the amount of bulky waste sent to landfill, the City of Drummondville, Québec, has developed an at-home, appointment-based collection service for divertible items. The pilot project implemented in 2020 included the collection of furniture, mattresses, electronic devices, and construction, renovation and demolition (CRD) waste in order to reuse or properly recycle these items. Based on the project’s positive results, the City permanently implemented the service in 2023.

“The pilot project was such a success, and the response of the population was so positive that we decided to maintain the service. We’re now looking at the possibility of adding new categories of divertible items.”

– Marie-Ève Vadnais, Director, Environmental Department, City of Drummondville.

Context

Located in the Centre-du-Québec region, halfway between Montreal and Québec City, the City of Drummondville has a population of nearly 85,000. After significant efforts in the past few years to raise the awareness of good waste management to its population, the City felt the need to take it a step further to reduce the amount of bulky waste sent to landfill.

Challenge

Noting that 70 percent of the bulky waste put to the curbside during quarterly collection drives had the potential to be repaired, reused, transformed or recycled, the challenge for Drummondville was to divert as much of this waste as possible to improve its waste management performance, extend the lifecycle of landfill sites, and generate economic and environmental benefits.

Approach

Through an easy-to-use electronic reservation platform, citizens can register and make an appointment for the type of waste collection of their choice. Then, the addresses of the registrants are extracted to determine the optimal collection route to pick up this divertible waste. The collected waste is then reused or recycled by local partners.

With this new service, Drummondville aimed to:

  • Reduce the amount of waste by 2.5 percent during the pilot project and by 5 percent after full-scale implementation.
  • Identify and monitor success factors to ensure the cost efficiency of the social economy business and the regional eco-centre.
  • Achieve sufficient savings to be able to end one of the three annual bulky waste collection drives.
Woman on laptop surrounded by moving boxes

Results

Within the first year of providing an appointment-based collection service to its residents, the City of Drummondville diverted 245 tonnes of waste from landfill, including 23.5 tonnes of bulky items, generating $18,000 in savings based on per-tonne landfill costs in 2021.

Additionally, the service achieved:

  • Nearly 30 tonnes of divertible waste collected in 2022, a 10% increase compared to 2021.
  • The elimination of one of the three annual bulky waste collection drives, representing annual savings of nearly $30,000.
  • A decrease in GHG emissions and fuel savings through the improved design of collection routes.

These positive results led to the permanent implementation of the service in 2023.

Benefits

“Not only are there environmental benefits, but there are also economic benefits to better managing our waste,” said Marie-Ève Vadnais, Director, Environmental Department, City of Drummondville.

The amount of bulky items and CRD waste diverted from landfill will increase the lifecycle of landfills, reducing GHG emissions, contamination and pollution. Additionally, working with two local, social enterprises and a private waste diversion business promotes the development of a circular economy and community support.

As for the residents of Drummondville, they can now divert or recycle their waste more easily.

Lessons learned

Throughout the process of developing and implementing this service, three main lessons emerged.

  1. The need to have recognized partnerships with service agreements, while choosing local organizations that have the capacity to collect and divert waste.
  2. Implementing a communication plan with ongoing promotions is crucial to encourage the population to use the new service.
  3. Choosing an online reservation platform that is user-friendly for both the population and the people in charge of registrations.

Testimonial

“This project has raised the awareness of the population about waste. Not only are there environmental benefits, but there are also economic benefits to better managing our waste,” said Marie-Ève Vadnais. “The population was informed through a large-scale awareness campaign that we carried out, which had impacts on the total number of tonnes of collected waste, and also on the number of users of the eco-centre”

Next steps

Permanently implemented in 2023, the appointment-based collection service for divertible waste will be expanding in the coming months. The City is already looking into new diversion streams and partners who can recycle or reuse other types of items, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, while ensuring the long-term capacity of current partners to provide waste collection and diversion services.

Want to explore all GMF-funded projects? Check out the Projects Database for a complete overview of funded projects and get inspired by municipalities of all sizes, across Canada. 

Visit the projects database

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