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Environmental impact

Environmental targets are still the main pillar in GMF’s triple-bottom-line approach to all our funding initiatives. In the past two decades, we’ve made significant impacts in all our target sectors:

GHG reductions

2.87

million tonnes of GHG emissions avoided

Energy savings

895,893

GJ of energy

Wastewater and drinking water treated

280,478,907

cubic metres of water treated per year

Water saved

653,136

cubic metres of water saved per year

Waste diverted from landfill

224,217

tonnes

Media managed

191,768

cubic metres of media (soil, groundwater and sediment) managed

Land reclaimed

94

hectares of land reclaimed

Solid waste treated

34,675

cubic metres

Equivalent to taking 880,547 cars off the road for a year or planting 3.37 million acres of boreal forest.

Equivalent to the average annual energy consumption for 166 arenas.

Equivalent to 27.5 hours of water volume going over Niagara Falls during peak daytime hours.

Equivalent to the annual amount of potable water consumed by 7,124 average people.

Equivalent to 20,269 full-sized school buses.

Equivalent to 4,900 shipping containers.

Equivalent to 158 football fields.

15 Olympic-size swimming pools

Social impact

GMF’s offerings benefit entire communities, including vulnerable populations. Social benefits like increased access to affordable housing, strengthened community programs and improved public health help communities to thrive.

Here are some of the ways GMF-funded projects have helped build stronger communities:

Community centres, cultural centres and libraries
  • 19 capital projects
  • $55,482,578 invested
  • Social benefits reported:

    • Improves quality of life

    • Strengthens community ties

    • Supports cultural vitality

    • Preserves heritage

    • Supports educational activities

    • Provides local employment and volunteer positions

Recreation centres, pools and ice rinks
  • 14 capital projects
  • $49,638,566 invested
  • Social benefits reported:
    • Promotes public health through physical activity
    • Improves local quality of life
    • Promotes economic growth through events and visitors
Affordable housing (new builds and retrofits of existing units)
  • 5 capital projects
  • $12,526,955 invested
  • Social benefits reported:

    • Creates welcoming places to live, work and start a business

    • Helps in addressing poverty

    • Provides security and comfort for vulnerable populations

    • Retains workers and attraction of newcomers

    • Enriches neighbourhoods and drives economic growth

Active transportation (pathways for cyclists and pedestrians)
  • 3 capital projects
  • $12,600,000 invested
  • Social benefits reported:

    • Improves public health through physical activity

    • Improves public safety

    • Boosts community pride

Economic Impact

Building sustainable communities is good for the economy. From creating local jobs to driving operational efficiencies that help municipalities stretch tax dollars, the return on GMF investments has always been unmatched.

Using the Local Economic Development (LED) model, we’ve calculated the economic impact of our investments in plans, studies, pilots and capital projects:

  • $1.2 billion contributed to national GDP
  • 12,622 person-years of employment
  • $665 million of national wages and salaries paid to households

Find out more about GMF’s impact in our Annual Report