Project cash flow calculator

Evaluate the economic feasibility of an energy efficiency project

SUSTAINABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING

New construction of sustainable affordable housing Tool

We've developed two tools to help housing providers understand how much energy their buildings use, and the costs savings associated with the projected energy use. The first tool, called Energy benchmarking, lets housing providers see how much energy they use now, set realistic goals for using less energy, and figure out how much money they could save.

The second tool, the Project cash flow calculator, helps housing providers look at the money side of things. It helps them make smart choices for the long term. These tools work together to help affordable housing providers reach their energy-saving goals and manage financial expectations. This way, they can build strong, lasting communities for the future.

Energy benchmarking

Navigate the complexities of your building's energy consumption patterns with our energy benchmarking tool. This tool will facilitate insightful comparisons between your building's current performance, its historical efficiencies, and benchmarks against similar properties. Use this tool to determine your property's energy intensity and gauge the potential energy savings your project could deliver.

In this section, you can conduct an energy analysis of your project. By determining your building's energy intensity, you'll be well-equipped to compare it with similar structures. Additionally, this allows you to estimate potential energy savings and reductions in GHG emissions within an energy efficiency project. Please note that this section is optional and independent of the cash flow analysis.

Province:

Floor area (m2):

Electricity (kWh):

Natural Gas (m3):

Propane (L):

Light Fuel Oil (L):

Energy Consumption (GJ) (if the total value is known):

Energy Reduction (%):

GHG Emissions Reduction (%):

Energy Consumption (GJ):

Energy Intensity (GJ):

GHG Emissions (tCO2e): 0

Final Energy Consumption (GJ):

Final GHG Emissions (tCO2e): 0

Project cash flow calculator

This robust tool meticulously examines all financial inflows and outflows tied to a project over a defined timeframe. It allows housing providers to anticipate and tactically manage expenditures. The calculator is instrumental in facilitating informed decision-making by providing a comprehensive overview of the financial trajectory of energy-efficient initiatives throughout their entire life cycle. From illustrating the return on investment to offering a nuanced understanding of financial implications, this tool equips housing providers with the insights necessary to determine the viability of a project.

In this section, you can assess your project's profitability using the financial metrics provided in the table below.

Cash Flow

Net Annual Cash Flow

Calculation Table

Financial Metrics

Simple Payback: 0

Glossary

1. Net cash flow: Net cash flow is the difference between the total cash inflow and the total cash outflow. In this calculator the inflow corresponds to energy savings and the cash flow corresponds to the project cost and the operating and maintenance (O&M) costs.

2. Cumulative cash flow: Cumulative cash flow means, for any calendar year, the sum of the Annual Cash Flow for each calendar year prior to and including such calendar year.

3. Simple payback: Simple payback is defined as the number of years after which an investment will have paid for itself. In energy efficiency projects it can be translated as the number of years it takes for the energy savings to payback the initial cost of the project. The shorter your payback period is, the faster you will recover your initial investment.

Payback period = Initial investment / Annual pay

4. Present value: Present value (PV) is the current value of a future sum of money or stream of cash flows given a specific rate of return.

5. Cumulative present value: Cumulative present value means, for any calendar year, the sum of the Annual Present Value for each calendar year prior to and including such calendar year.

6. Net present value: Net present value (NPV) is the difference between the present value of cash inflows and the present value of cash outflows over a period of time. NPV is the result of calculations that find the current value of a future stream of payments, using the proper discount rate. In general, projects with a positive NPV are worth undertaking while those with a negative NPV are not.

NPV = Cash flow / (1 + i)t – initial investment
* t = year of project
* i = discount rate

7. Savings to investment ratio: the Savings to investment ratio also called benefit-to-cost ratio is the ratio of the net present value to project costs. Ratios greater than 1 are representative of profitable projects. As for NPV, projects with a positive savings to investment ratio are worth undertaking while those with a negative savings to investment ratio are not.

8. Internal rate of return: Internal rate of return (IRR) follows the same reasoning as Net Present Value. But rather than picking a discount rate to find the current value of a future stream of cashflows, this method relies on an iterative solution to determine what discount rate will cause the NPV of the project to equal zero. IRR is calculated by trial and error by varying the discount rate in the NPV formula until the NPV is equal to 0. The IRR assumes the cash flows from a project are reinvested at the IRR itself.

9. Modified internal rate of return: The Modified internal rate of return (MIRR) follows the same reasoning as IRR but assumes that positive cash flows are reinvested at the firm's cost of capital.

Funders list for sustainable affordable housing

Learn about additional funding sources to support your next affordable housing project

SUSTAINABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING

New construction of sustainable affordable housing Tool

Last updated: June 2024

Building sustainable and affordable housing can be complex, particularly when it comes to financing. Many projects rely on external funding sources to implement energy-efficient retrofits or new builds. The following funder list is designed to streamline your search for financial sources at both provincial and national levels and serves as a strategic tool to simplify the decision-making process. Whether you’re laying the groundwork for a new build or planning for extensive high-performance, energy efficient retrofits, this list includes additional funding resources that are aligned with GMF's Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative.

Discover funding that not only fuels your project but also contributes to a future where sustainability and affordability coexist.

Funders list

The information below links to programs external to FCM. While we strive to provide accurate information, FCM cannot ensure the accuracy of content hosted externally. For inquiries related to updates, changes, or relevant questions concerning the programs external to FCM, please reach out to us at gmfcapacity@fcm.ca.

Region

Grant Type

Region	Organization	Funding Program	Alignment with SAH	Grant/Loan
AB	Province of Alberta, Province-wide	Affordable Housing Partnership Program	Plan Capital Stackable	Grant Land or buildings Transfer or long-term lease of a government-owned asset
AB	City of Edmonton, Municipal Region	Affordable Housing Investment Program	Capital Stackable	Grant
AB	City of Edmonton, Municipal Region	Affordable Housing Tax Grant	Capital Stackable	Grant
AB	City of Calgary, Municipal Region	Housing Incentive Program (HIP)	Plan Study Stackable (Co-requirement, groups must apply to CMHC for seed funding first)	Grant, rebate
AB	Alberta Real Estate Foundation	Development Grants	Plan Capital Stackable	Grant
AB	Calgary Foundation	Strategic Opportunity Grants	Plan Study Pilot	Grant
BC	BC Hydro	BC Hydro's Custom Efficiency Program	Capital, Stackable	Grant
BC	CleanBC	Social Housing Incentives Program (SHIP)	Planning/Sudy, capital, stackable	Grant
BC	CleanBC	CleanBC Custom Program (retrofits)	Planning/Sudy, capital, stackable	Grant
BC	CleanBC	CleanBC Commercial New Construction Program	Planning/Sudy, capital, stackable	Grant
BC	BC Housing	Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program (EERP)	Capital, Stackable	Grant
BC	BC Housing	Capital Renewel Funding (CRF)	Capital, Stackable	Grant
BC	CleanBC	CleanBC Income Qualified Program	Capital, Stackable	Grant
BC	CleanBC	CleanBC Custom Lite Program (retrofits)	Planning/Sudy, capital, stackable	Grant
BC	BC Hydro & Fortis BC Province-wide	Social housing retrofit support program	Study Capital Stackable	Grant, rebate
BC	BC Housing Province-wide	Building BC Community Housing Fund Program	Study Capital Stackable	Loan Grant
BC	BC Housing Province-wide	Building BC Women's Transition Housing Fund	Study Capital Stackable	Loan Grant
BC	BC Housing Province-wide	Building BC Supportive Housing Fund Program	Study Capital Stackable	Loan Grant
BC	BC Housing Province-wide	Community Housing Fund	Capital Stackable	Grant
BC	BC Housing Province-wide	Canada - British Columbia Housing Benefit Program (CBCHB)	Capital	Grant
BC	BC Non-Profit Housing Association	Pilot Program for Vancouver Non-Profit Housing (bcnpha.ca)		Grant
BC	Vancity cooperative Province-wide	Vancity: Impact Investing	Plan Study Capital Stackable	Loan, Grant (Grants to help housing providers articulate the positive impact of a project; build capacity to deliver a project; develop a successful business plan; communicate the success and/or lessons learned.)
BC	Real Estate Foundation of BC	REFBC Grants	Plan Capital Stackable	Grant
Canada	Community Housing Transformation Centre, Nation-wide	Local Projects Grant	Study Capital Stackable	Grant
Canada	Community Housing Transformation Centre, Nation-wide	Sectoral Impact Projects Grants	Pilot Study Capital Stackable	Grant
Canada	Community Housing Transformation Centre, Nation-wide	Nova Scotia’s Community Housing Growth Fund (CHGF)	Plan Study Capital Stackable	Grant
Canada	Community Housing Transformation Centre, Nation-wide	The Nunalingni Piruqpaalirut Fund	Plan Study Capital Stackable	Grant
Canada	Housing Partnership Canada (HPC), Nation-wide	Housing Investment Corporation (Hi-C)	Plan Study Capital Stackable	Loans
Canada	Green Municipal Fund (GMF) of Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Nation-wide	Sustainable Affordable Housing	Plan Study Pilot projects Retrofit capital projects New-build capital projects Stackable	Grants, loans
Canada	Cooperative Housing Federation (CHF), Nation-wide	Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada Financing	Study Stackable	Loans provided by credit institutions
Canada	CMHC	Affordable Housing Fund: New Construction	Plan Study Capital Stackable	Grant Loans
Canada	CMHC	Affordable Housing Fund: Repair and Renewal	Plan Study Capital Stackable	Grant Loans
Canada	CMHC	Apartment Construction Loan Program	Capital Stackable	Loans
Canada	CMHC	Affordable Housing Innovation Fund	Plan Study Stackable	Grant Loans
Canada	CMHC	Seed Funding program	Plan Stackable	Loans
Canada	CMHC	Community-Based Tenant Initiative	Plan Study	Grants
Canada	CMHC	NHS Demonstrations Initiative	Pilots	Grant Loans
Canada	Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation	Canada Greener Affordable Housing	Plan Study Capital Stackable	Loan
NB	NB Ministry of Social Development, Province-wide	Shelter Enhancement Program	Capital Stackable	Forgivable Loan
NB	NB Power, Province-wide	Community Outreach Program	Capital Stackable	Energy Efficiency Kits
NL	The Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador Province-wide	Provincial Housing and Homelessness Partnership Fund	Capital Stackable	Grant
NS	Government of Nova Scotia Province-wide	Nova Scotia - Your Energy Rebate	Capital Stackable	Rebate
NS	Housing Nova Scotia, Province-wide	Rental Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program	Capital Stackable	Grant
NS	Efficiency NS, Province-wide	SolarHomes	Study	Rebate
NS	Efficiency NS, Province-wide	Affordable Multifamily Housing Program	Study	Rebates
NS	Halifax Foundation	Grant Programs	Plan Study Capital Stackable	Grant
NWT	Yellowknife Community Foundation	Community Impact Fund	Plan Study Capital Stackable	Grant
NT	Arctic Energy Alliance Province-wide	Rebates on Renewable Energy	Capital Stackable	Rebate
NT	Arctic Energy Alliance Province-wide	Rebates on Energy-Efficient Products	Capital Stackable	Rebate
ON	City of Toronto City-wide	Home Energy Loan Program (HELP)	capital Stackable	Loan
ON	Enbridge Gas Province-wide	Savings by Design Affordable Housing	capital study Stackable	Grant
ON	IESO, Province-wide	Retrofit Program	Capital Stackable	Grant
ON	Enbridge Province-wide	Affordable Multi-Family Residential Program	Capital Stackable	Grant
PEI	Energy Efficiency Equipment Rebates	efficiencyPEI	capital	Rebate
PEI	Province of PEI Province-wide	Affordable Housing Development Program	Capital Stackable	Forgivable Loan
PEI	PEI, CMHA Province-wide	Community Housing Fund, Canadian Mental Health Association	Study Stackable	Grant
PE	Province of PEI Province-wide	Solar Electric Rebate Program	Capital Stackable	Rebate
QC	Hydro-Québec Province-wide	LogisVert	capital Study Stackable	Grant
QC	Énergir Province-wide	Supplement for low-income households	Capital	Grant
QC	Hydro Quebec & Société d'habitation Quebec Province-wide	Rénovation énergétique pour les ménages à faible revenu	Capital Stackable	Grant/rebate
QC	Transition énergétique Quebec Province-wide	Rénoclimat	Capital Stackable	Grant
QC	Transition énergétique Quebec (TEQ) Province-wide	Éconologis	Capital Stackable	Grant/Service
QC	Energir Province-wide	Energy efficiency grants	Capital Stackable	Grant
QC	Victoriaville Municipal-wide	Victoriaville Habitation Durable	Plan Study Capital Stackable	Grant Subsidies
QC	Victoriaville Municipal-wide	Programme de subventions rénovation écogestes	Capital Stackable	Grant
QC	Ville de Saguenay	Home renovation program	Capital	Rebates
QC	Societe d'habitation Quebec	Quebec Renovation Program	Capital Stackable	Grant
QC	Ville de Rivière-du-Loup	Heritage Restoration Program	Study Capital	Grants
QC	Ville de Montreal	Reno Affordable Housing	Study Capital Stackable	Grant Subsidies
QC	Ville de Laval Municipal Region	Heritage Building Revitalization Program	Study Capital	Grants
QC	Ville de Laval Municipal Region	Oil Heating System Replacement	Capital Stackable	Grant
QC	Société d'habitation du Québec Province-wide	Home Ownership Program for Residents of the Kativik Region	Capital Stackable	Grant
QC	Société d'habitation du Québec	Programme de rénovation des habitations à loyer modique	Capital	Grant
SK	City of Regina Municipal Region	Housing Incentive Policy	Capital Stackable	Grant
SK	Saskatoon Community Foundation	Quality of Life Granting Program	Capital Stackable	Grant
YT	Yukon Territory Territory-wide	Good Energy rebates	Capital Stackable	Rebate
YT	Yukon Territory Territory-wide	Developer Build Loan Program	Capital Stackable	Loan
YT	Yukon Territory Territory-wide	Solar domestic hot-water heating systems	Capital Stackable	Rebate
YT	Yukon Territory Territory-wide	Renewable energy systems	Capital	Rebate

Case study: Pine Tree Park Estates – a blueprint for sustainable, affordable housing

Transforming a brownfield into a net zero energy community

ENERGY | HOUSING

Sustainable Affordable Housing

Nova Scotia

Pine Tree Park Estates: Transforming a brownfield into a net zero energy community

Previously a military radar base, Pine Tree Park Estates is Cape Breton's inaugural net-zero energy community, having transitioned from fossil fuels with renovated systems and solar panels to notably reduce utility expenses.

About Pine Tree Park Estates

Previously a military radar base, Pine Tree Park is Cape Breton's inaugural net zero energy community, having transitioned from fossil fuels with renovated systems and solar panels, setting benchmarks for future projects. Rising energy costs are impacting not only companies' budgets, but the daily lives of tenants living in affordable housing.

An aerial view of Pine Tree Park Estates from the 1970s.

About New Dawn Enterprises

Since 1976, New Dawn, a community-focused social enterprise, has offered affordable housing, home care, and diverse programs including arts and food security. They manage five commercial spaces and 215 residences, with 27 units dedicated to supporting those with mental illness.

"This is a significant transformation for Cape Breton. We really want to encourage other organizations to know that these types of projects are possible and is not out of their reach, regardless of scale."
– Erika Shea, President and CEO of New Dawn Enterprises.

Project information and background

Project profile

Name: Pine Tree Park Estates
Owner: New Dawn Enterprises
Location: Military Road, Sydney, Nova Scotia
Total area: 80 acres
Area occupied by building: 15 acres
Number of homes: 28 homes
Number of affordable housing units: 20
Former Department of National Defence radar base, decommissioned in the 1990s.
Project value: $3.5 M
Return on Investment ROI: $30,000 (annual)
Duration: 2018-2023
Energy savings: 51.5%

Energy conservation measures (ECMs) used

High-efficiency heating and cooling systems (all units)
High-efficiency hot water systems (all units)
Efficient heat recovery ventilation (HRV) systems (all units)
High-efficiency windows (where required)
Insulation upgrades (all units)
Air sealing (all units)
Installation of 700 kW solar array (1,800 solar panels) (all units)

Context

Before the project:

Pine Tree Park's 28 residences averaged yearly energy costs of $90,000, about $3,200 each, paid directly by residents.

After the project:

Through energy retrofits and solar systems, the project notably reduces utility expenses. Residents will mainly cover a minor solar maintenance fee for inspections and occasional repairs.

Parties involved in development

Developer: New Dawn Enterprises
Partners and funders: Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Efficiency Nova Scotia, FCM’s Green Municipal Fund, Nova Scotia Natural Resources and Renewables
Engineering and construction companies: Aucoin Renovations (retrofits), ARL Mechanical (retrofits), Lynk Electric (solar)
Consultants: Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment
Project manager: New Dawn Enterprises
Energy manager: Verschuren Centre

Funding Sources

Funding source	Description	Amount	Percentage of total budget
FCM’s Green Municipal Fund	Grant	$500,000	14%
New Dawn Enterprises Limited	Cash	$181,534	5%
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency	Grant	$979,200	28%
Environment and Climate Change Canada: Low Carbon Economy Fund	Grant	$817,753	23%
Efficiency Nova Scotia	Grant	$558,713	16%
Nova Scotia Natural Resources and Renewables	Grant	$500,000	14%
Total		$3,537,200	100%

*The grants and financing leveraged for this project were secured over 24 months.

Showing tangible progress

Building effective partnerships: New Dawn partnered with the Verschuren Centre for sustainable energy research to enhance their building retrofit. This collaboration offered technical insights, examined options, and emphasized the importance of strategic partnerships in energy efficiency projects. “There is nothing like knowing that you’re not alone and you have someone who also has your best interest in mind but also has the ability to answer your technical questions on the spot.” – Erika Shea.
Navigating funding complexities: Securing funds from diverse federal and provincial sources was vital. Yet, managing these varied sources was complex. New Dawn used spreadsheets to effectively track funding, ensuring organization and transparency.
Demonstrating progress: Regular updates to the Board of Directors were critical to highlight progress, discuss funding status, and gather crucial feedback for the project's direction.
Ensuring meaningful stakeholder engagement: Regular community meetings kept residents informed, addressed concerns, and fostered trust and collective ownership in the project. “If we hadn’t done those community meetings, we’d probably have had a lot more individual calls and some concerns from tenants.” – Erika Shea.
Budget flexibility: An important consideration in large projects is maintaining flexibility in design to adapt to available budgets, especially when a significant portion of the budget depends on external funding.

Early strategies to engage decision-makers:

Craft a solid business case: Showcase both financial and ecological benefits to rally stakeholders around the project.
Showcase funding options: Emphasize potential funding sources, enhancing confidence in the project's feasibility.
Share knowledge: Distribute relevant research and articles to enlighten decision-makers on energy efficiency.
Hold informative sessions: Organize meetings with leaders to address queries, discuss finances, and mitigate risks, fostering understanding and support.

In the evolving landscape of energy and climate policies, New Dawn Enterprises stands as a role model for achieving sustainability in affordable housing. Their experience shows that, despite challenges faced, moving toward energy efficiency is not only achievable but also economically and socially rewarding. 

GMF's Sustainable Affordable Housing initiative supports affordable housing providers to improve their energy efficiency. This is achieved through funding and capacity development support for energy efficient retrofits and new builds.

For more information about Pine Tree Estate’s decision-making process, read the interview with Erika Shaw, President/CEO of New Dawn Enterprises

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

The Green Municipal Fund: supporting innovative sustainability solutions

Our funding offers support for Canadian municipalities in executing innovative projects that tackle climate challenges, reduce GHGs, and enhance the quality of life by accelerating a transformation to resilient, net-zero communities. Canadian municipalities and their partners can access this funding to upgrade infrastructure, transform municipal service delivery, build and retrofit affordable housing units and scale up innovative home-energy financing programs while seeing tangible environmental, economic, and social benefits.

The GMF advantage

GMF is more than just a funding source—we’re a full-service partner in your climate action progress.

Grants and loans for all stages
Stackable with other funding sources
Dedicated staff to help you apply
Free resources to help build business cases and improve project outcomes

Grants and loans to cover eligible project costs

GMF has you covered with end-to-end project funding available to communities of all sizes.

Funding can cover from 50% to 80% of eligible project costs*
Grants are available for planning, studies and pilot projects
Loans are available for capital projects with an additional grant of up to 15% of the loan amount

*Increased % for small or rural municipalities completing plans, studies and pilot projects.
*20 % of eligible costs for Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) new construction

Net-zero new builds

and deep energy retrofits.

-$10 M in combined grants and loans for capital projects
-$200,000 in grants for studies

Learn more

Energy solutions

that meet community needs.

-$10 M in combined grants and loans for capital projects
-$200,000 in grants for studies
-$100,000 in grants for business cases

Learn more

Local energy

from organic waste and landfill gas.

-$10 M in combined grants and loans for capital projects
-$200,000 in grants for studies
-$100,000 in grants for business cases

Learn more

Electric vehicles & chargers

for municipal and transit fleets.

-$10 M in combined grants and loans for capital projects
-$200,000 in grants for studies

Learn more

Innovative solutions

that drive greenhouse gas reductions.

-$10 M in combined loans and grants for capital projects
-$500,000 in grants for pilots
-$200,000 in grants for studies
-$200,000 in grants for plans

Learn more

Deep energy retrofits

of community buildings.

-$5 M in combined grants and loans for capital projects
-$200,000 in grants for a portfolio of buildings study
-$65,000 in grants for a single building study

Learn more

New builds & retrofits

of sustainable affordable housing.

-$10 M in combined grants and loans for capital projects
-$500,000 in grants for pilots
-$175,000 in grants for studies
-$25,000 in grants for plans

Learn more

Home-energy financing

for low-rise residential properties.

-$15 M in combined loans and grants for capital projects
-$500,000 in grants for pilots
-$175,000 in grants for studies

Learn more

Design and construct new high-efficiency municipal or community buildings
Study and implement retrofits of municipal buildings or a portfolio of municipal buildings for higher energy performance and significant GHG emissions reduction

Construct, commission and rapidly deploy a community energy system
Outline the design of a proposed community energy system
Assess viable community energy projects and their business models

Construct and commission an organic waste-to-energy system
Outline the design of a proposed organic waste-to-energy system
Assess viable waste-to-energy systems and business models for your project

Drive a partial or complete transition of your municipal and/or transit fleet to zero-emission vehicles
Assess the feasibility of the transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) to significantly reduce GHG emissions

Deploy a full-scale best-in-class GHG reduction solution
Evaluate innovative GHG reduction solutions in real-world conditions
Assess new approaches and solutions to bring your community closer to net-zero

Retrofit a community building or portfolio of buildings for higher energy performance and significant GHG emissions reduction over time
Outline the design of a proposed retrofit of an existing community building or portfolio of existing buildings
Retrofit a community building to achieve a minimum 30 percent GHG emissions reduction

Test innovative solutions that generate deep energy efficiency outcomes for existing affordable housing retrofits and new builds
Evaluate solutions for integrating deep energy efficiency measures in existing affordable housing retrofit and new build projects
Develop deliverables required for sustainable affordable housing funding applications

Implement or scale-up a full version of your local home-energy upgrade program
Test a smaller-scale version of a home-energy upgrade program

Learn more about our initiatives

Sustainable Municipal Buildings

Reduce GHG emissions and save on energy costs with net-zero new builds and deep energy retrofits

Municipal Fleet Electrification

Reduce fuel costs and achieve GHG reductions

Community Energy Systems

Meet community energy needs, increase energy efficiency, and build grid resilience

Organic Waste-to-Energy

Recover value and energy from organic materials and landfill gas

Net-Zero Transformation

Develop and demonstrate innovative solutions to support the municipal transition to net-zero

Community Buildings Retrofit initiative

Retrofit existing community buildings to lower GHG emissions and extend their life cycle.

Community Efficiency Financing

Plan, implement and scale up home-energy upgrade financing programs for residential energy projects.

Sustainable Affordable Housing

Switch to energy-efficient options and lower your energy bills.

Growing Canada’s Community Canopies

Helping local governments and communities plant trees to fight climate change

Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation

Community-based climate adaptation initiative

Have questions about our funding?

Thinking about applying for GMF funding? Our advisors are available to help you prepare the strongest application possible.

1-877-417-0550

gmfinfo@fcm.ca

Book a meeting with a GMF advisor.

Find funding that’s right for you

Looking for funding for your sustainability project? Use FCM's Funding Opportunity Finder to find compatible GMF funding that could suit your municipality.

Find funding

Delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, GMF manages approximately $2.4B in programs funded by the Government of Canada.

Webinar recording: Integrating Reconciliation and Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion in GMF initiatives

Shaping the future of sustainable municipal development

Attachment type: File

Watch the discussion on Reconciliation and AREI's role in sustainable municipal development.

Watch the webinar

Read the transcript.

Environmental challenges disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, making today's climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts vital in reducing current and future inequities. As local governments manage essential services, social systems, and infrastructure, recognizing and addressing these vulnerabilities is critical.

Watch a timely discussion on how Reconciliation and Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion (AREI) principles are shaping the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) initiatives. This webinar delved into the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' (FCM) commitment to these values, demonstrating their essential role in sustainable municipal development.

Watch this recording to:

get a better understanding of the integration of Reconciliation and AREI in GMF-funded projects
gain insights into the new Reconciliation and AREI socio-economic benefits framework
explore practical strategies for municipalities to apply these principles effectively

Featured speakers:

Ty Smith, Senior Director, Anti-Racism, Equity & Inclusion, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Yi Liu, Director, Community Efficiency and Leverage Programs, Green Municipal Fund
Gabrielle Massicotte, Socio-Economic Benefits Specialist, Green Municipal Fund

Toolkit: Navigating energy efficient affordable housing projects

A resource for housing providers to support energy efficient affordable housing projects in Canada.

Tool

The Housing Providers’ Toolkit equips Canadian non-profit housing organizations, municipal providers, and housing co-ops with the tools they need to effectively navigate the opportunities for enhancing energy efficiency in affordable housing. This comprehensive resource includes everything from understanding the intrinsic advantages of energy-efficient buildings, to the practical steps of implementation and applying for funding.

Each component below is crafted to support both retrofits of existing units and new builds. Whether you're aiming to transform your current infrastructure or embark on innovative new projects, this toolkit is your guide, ensuring that you have what you need to make informed and impactful decisions.

Sustainable affordable housing funding roadmap

Learn about the Sustainable affordable housing funding roadmap process with this resource. It outlines the process to assess your building’s energy efficiency needs and opportunities with GMF’S Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative. Gain clarity on the various project stages, the associated timeline for completion and tools that simplify the approval process.

Download the roadmap.

Project cash flow calculator and Energy benchmarking tool

The Project cash flow calculator and Energy benchmarking tool are designed to help housing providers understand how much energy their buildings use and assess and quantify the associated costs with potential retrofits or new builds. It includes a set of parameters and performance metrics, including capital cost, savings, inflation rate, simple payback and net present value to determine the financial feasibility and the energy savings associated with a project. This tool will help housing providers make informed decisions, leveraging accurate data to assess the viability of a potential project.

Open the calculator and energy benchmarking tool.

Funders list for sustainable affordable housing

Energy efficient affordable housing projects are expensive to undertake. We’ve compiled a list of potential funders from across the country to help you easily identify partners to support your project. Catering to both provincial and national levels, many of the organizations on this list support both retrofits and new build projects.

Search the funders list.

Webinar recording: Transform your approach to energy efficiency

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.

Watch the webinar.

Case study: Pine Tree Park Estates—a blueprint for sustainable, affordable housing

New Dawn Enterprises transformed Pine Tree Park Estates, previously a military radar base, into Cape Breton's first net-zero energy community. This ambitious project, stretching from 2018 to 2023, highlights the step-by-step process of converting a brownfield into a sustainable, affordable housing model. With the support of diverse funding sources—including GMF’s Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative—this project showcases a replicable blueprint for sustainable, affordable housing.

Read the case study.

Pagination

Subscribe to

Project cash flow calculator

Energy benchmarking

Project cash flow calculator

Cash Flow

Net Annual Cash Flow

Calculation Table

Financial Metrics

Glossary

Funders list for sustainable affordable housing

Funders list

Case study: Pine Tree Park Estates – a blueprint for sustainable, affordable housing

Pine Tree Park Estates: Transforming a brownfield into a net zero energy community

About Pine Tree Park Estates

About New Dawn Enterprises

Project information and background

Project profile

Energy conservation measures (ECMs) used

Context

Before the project:

After the project:

Parties involved in development

Funding Sources

Showing tangible progress

Early strategies to engage decision-makers:

GMF funding at a glance

The Green Municipal Fund: supporting innovative sustainability solutions

The GMF advantage

Grants and loans to cover eligible project costs

Sustainable Municipal Buildings

Community Energy Systems

Organic Waste-to-Energy

Municipal Fleet Electrification

Net-Zero Transformation

Community Buildings Retrofit

Sustainable Affordable Housing

Community Efficiency Financing

Design and construct new high-efficiency municipal or community buildings

Study and implement retrofits of municipal buildings or a portfolio of municipal buildings for higher energy performance and significant GHG emissions reduction

Construct, commission and rapidly deploy a community energy system

Outline the design of a proposed community energy system

Assess viable community energy projects and their business models

Construct and commission an organic waste-to-energy system

Outline the design of a proposed organic waste-to-energy system

Assess viable waste-to-energy systems and business models for your project

Drive a partial or complete transition of your municipal and/or transit fleet to zero-emission vehicles

Assess the feasibility of the transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) to significantly reduce GHG emissions

Deploy a full-scale best-in-class GHG reduction solution

Evaluate innovative GHG reduction solutions in real-world conditions

Assess new approaches and solutions to bring your community closer to net-zero

Retrofit a community building or portfolio of buildings for higher energy performance and significant GHG emissions reduction over time

Outline the design of a proposed retrofit of an existing community building or portfolio of existing buildings

Retrofit a community building to achieve a minimum 30 percent GHG emissions reduction

Test innovative solutions that generate deep energy efficiency outcomes for existing affordable housing retrofits and new builds

Evaluate solutions for integrating deep energy efficiency measures in existing affordable housing retrofit and new build projects

Develop deliverables required for sustainable affordable housing funding applications

Implement or scale-up a full version of your local home-energy upgrade program

Test a smaller-scale version of a home-energy upgrade program

Learn more about our initiatives

Have questions about our funding?

Find funding that’s right for you

Webinar recording: Integrating Reconciliation and Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion in GMF initiatives

Toolkit: Navigating energy efficient affordable housing projects

Sustainable affordable housing funding roadmap

Project cash flow calculator and Energy benchmarking tool

Funders list for sustainable affordable housing

Webinar recording: Transform your approach to energy efficiency

Case study: Pine Tree Park Estates—a blueprint for sustainable, affordable housing

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