Save energy, cut costs: Using GMF support in Quebec

Across Quebec, aging infrastructure and rising costs are driving municipalities to invest in cost-saving, sustainable solutions. Since its inception in 2000, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund (GMF) has supported 289 projects in the province, delivering over $209 million in funding and generating $205.6 million in GDP.

Among them, municipalities of all sizes—from small-town Saint-Valérien to Quebec City—are using GMF funding to transform aging community buildings into more comfortable, cost-efficient, and climate-resilient spaces.

With insights from GMF experts, tips from the City of Candiac, and inspiring success stories, discover how building energy upgrades could benefit your community. 

Q&A | What’s working: Trends and recommendations for Quebec’s community buildings  

As the first points of contact for GMF’s Community Buildings Retrofit initiative in Quebec, Pascale Thériault and Athia Kabanguka are strategic allies helping municipalities navigate and access our funding opportunities.

Their role offers them a unique perspective, explored below as they reflect on emerging trends and local priorities in municipalities across Quebec. 

What challenges are Quebec municipalities trying to solve by upgrading their community buildings with energy retrofits?

Community building energy retrofits are helping Quebec municipalities reduce operating costs (particularly energy costs over the longer term), better equip their buildings for extreme weather conditions, and cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to reduce their carbon footprint and achieve Quebec’s aim of carbon neutrality by 2050.

What type of community buildings are often prioritized in Quebec for energy retrofits, and are there differences between rural and urban areas?  

Sports facilities like indoor pools and skating rinks are often the priority in Quebec for energy retrofits. They tend to be the most energy-intensive and emit the most GHGs, making them key to efforts to reduce operating costs and meet municipal climate objectives. Libraries and community centres are also candidates due to their frequent use and potential for energy improvement.

In rural areas, buildings are often multipurpose—a single location can serve as a community hall, library and recreation centre. However, rural municipalities have limited access to the technical and financial resources they need to carry out major renovations. This presents a challenge, but also an opportunity to maximize GMF’s impact through grants and loans, as well as our Learning Centre and Community Buildings Retrofit Advisory Service. 

If a municipality with limited resources wants to start a community building renovation project, where should it begin?

The first step is to better understand the energy consumption of the building. This requires an energy audit, which is essential to get a clear picture of the current situation and to identify possible improvements in areas such as heating, insulation or LED lighting.

Once they have this analysis, the municipality can assess the cost of each measure, the expected energy savings and the financial impacts in order to prioritize its interventions based on its objectives and resources. Site surveys, energy modeling and scenario development are eligible expenses under the Study: Pathway to Green Buildings offer when integrated with the complete energy analysis.

Municipalities with limited resources can strategically stagger these efforts over several years and integrate them into municipal asset management. This way the retrofits can be coordinated with normal equipment replacement, while moving towards more efficient, comfortable and sustainable buildings. 

Who generally gets in contact with you about energy retrofits, and who manages and coordinates the projects in Quebec municipalities?

The first contact is sometimes made with municipal councillors or mayors. They then put us in touch with the general managers or technical departments to initiate more substantive discussions on eligibility.

We often talk to the general managers, since they are authorized to approve grant applications and budgets. Projects are then usually coordinated by project managers in technical departments or energy or sustainability advisors. They are responsible for tendering, overseeing work and handling technical aspects.

We also communicate regularly with external consultants, such as energy experts. They are often the people who conduct energy audits and help local governments prepare their funding applications. Finance departments are also involved in assessing the financial feasibility of capital projects.

What are the most popular low-cost retrofits that help Quebec municipalities reduce their energy use and operating costs?

Even with a limited budget, simple and effective measures can improve the energy performance of buildings. Adjusting the temperature based on how the premises are used or training maintenance staff in best energy practices can generate immediate savings. Replacing lighting with LED bulbs is also a popular, low-cost solution that effectively reduces electricity costs.

Some municipalities are installing simple automation systems to better control lighting, heating and ventilation. This reduces waste and makes it easier to track consumption. 

For example, these simple, cost-effective actions could help reduce GHG emissions from a building located in climate zone 6 (where winters are moderately cold):

• Better heating and ventilation programming to save 45 tons of CO₂ per year.
• Ventilation on request to save 32.5 tons of CO₂ per year.
• Optimization of pool management (temperature, humidity) to save 18 tons of CO₂ per year.

And what about more ambitious or long-term projects—what are Quebec municipalities choosing to invest in with GMF’s support?

Most municipalities are investing in improvements to building envelopes, for example, adding insulation to walls, roofs and foundations, and replacing windows with more efficient designs. In addition to reducing energy consumption, these efforts improve user comfort.

They’re often accompanied by upgrades to mechanical systems, such as heat pumps or heat recovery ventilation systems. Some municipalities go further by integrating renewable energy sources like solar photovoltaic panels or geoexchange systems.

What advice would you offer to Quebec municipalities considering energy retrofits for their community buildings?

• Build a multidisciplinary team at the outset: Involve building managers, financial services, and internal and external experts (engineers, architects, energy consultants) to ensure effective coordination and rigorous follow-up.
• Establish an inventory of municipal buildings: With an inventory you can assess the possibility of renovating a portfolio of buildings rather than just one and optimize investments at the municipal level.
• Conduct an energy audit: An energy audit identifies the main energy losses and helps prioritize the most cost-effective measures for reducing operating costs and GHG emissions.
• Take an integrated approach: Focus on projects that address several issues at once, such as improving energy performance, reducing drinking water consumption, preserving biodiversity and opting for sustainable materials.
• Involve the community: Consult with the buildings' users to ensure that retrofits meet their needs and maximize social benefits.
• Conduct a feasibility study and plan carefully: Rigorous planning takes time, but it reduces the risk of costly errors and maximizes the long-term gains. If this step sounds intimidating, feel free to contact other municipalities or our team for referrals or support.
• Promote the project benefits: Document and communicate savings and the benefits for the community (comfort, safety, accessibility, etc.) to demonstrate the project’s value to your citizens and decision-makers as well as inspire other initiatives.

How does the renovation of several community buildings in a single funding application (portfolio of buildings) benefit Quebec municipalities?

First, carrying out energy audits, feasibility studies or retrofits for several buildings at the same time reduces unit costs (for studies, consultations, equipment). It saves time and money.  

It also increases the project’s energy and climate impact, which makes it more attractive to funding bodies and may open the door to greater funding.

This approach also makes it possible to standardize equipment and management practices, making it easier to maintain buildings over the long term.

Finally, it helps accelerate the achievement of GHG reduction targets and develop internal energy efficiency expertise.

Q&A: How Candiac will significantly lower energy costs in just 5 years

What objectives or challenges are you seeking to address through energy retrofits, and how did you prioritize which buildings to include in the project?

It all started with the City of Candiac’s climate plan, which enabled us to determine the energy consumption of municipal buildings. The GHG inventory showed that municipal buildings are responsible for 40% of corporate GHG emissions. We selected the buildings that emit the most GHGs and can be retrofitted in the coming years.  

What types of retrofits will be done as a result of the feasibility studies, and why were these improvements chosen?

It is estimated that the building improvements could save up to 219 tons of CO₂ emissions and reduce electricity consumption by 18,000 kWh. The project therefore targets not only reductions in GHG emissions, but also, first and foremost, energy efficiency. The Green Buildings Pathway Guidance Document from the Green Municipal Fund was very helpful for choosing improvements because we could see different scenarios and opportunities.    

Energy innovations (solar photovoltaic panels) are being incorporated into the project to improve their resilience and contribute to Quebec’s necessary energy transition.    

To reduce GHG emissions as well as achieve greater savings and a shorter payback period (PBP), we will be making improvements to the Complexe Sportif Candiac, which has two indoor rinks, and the Complexe Roméo-V.-Patenaude, where many community events are held.

Retrofits for the Complexe Sportif Candiac:  

• replacement of rooftop units with heat pumps
• heat recovery from condensation and the addition of a heat pump water heater
• heat recovery measure to heat the snow pit
• addition of CO2 sensors to regulate the fresh air supply
• solar PV installation for electricity generation

Retrofits for the Complexe Roméo-V.-Patenaude:  

• replacement of rooftop units with heat pumps
• addition of solar collectors to preheat outdoor air

Two other buildings will also benefit from energy retrofits, and we are prepared with our feasibility study (which was conducted from May 2023 to December 2024).

What key results will emerge from the retrofits, and how will they affect the quality of life of Candiac residents?

This project goes well beyond asset management and embodies a high-level vision that encompasses decarbonization, energy efficiency, and social and community responsibility, as well as the search for funding opportunities through energy savings. This is an integrated project designed to benefit the community. Our approach demonstrates rigorous and responsible financial management of municipal buildings for the benefit of all.  

The in-depth building analyses have identified several measures that can increase energy efficiency and which incorporate significant decarbonization strategies.  

In accordance with the targets to be achieved, and based on current data and assumptions:

• The improvements to the Complexe Sportif Candiac will generate annual savings of up to $41,000 over five years, or up to $620,400 over 20 years, and an 84% reduction in GHG emissions compared to 2018.
• The improvements to the Complexe Roméo-V.-Patenaude will generate annual savings of up to $17,231 over eight years, or up to $200,000 over 20 years, and an 82% reduction in GHG emissions compared to 2018.

Significant decarbonization strategy: A corporate GHG reduction of up to 20%  

Among the planned measures, the use of heat recovery from condensation to heat water and the snow melt system are notable for having a positive impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions without requiring major investments. The approach combines energy efficiency and environmental responsibility in an economically viable way.

The proposal to replace roof units with heat pumps equipped with thermal wheels is a promising solution for achieving decarbonization targets.  

Grants are available to cover some of the additional costs associated with these new units, making it a financially advantageous option.

Scenarios for reducing greenhouse gas emissions were also proposed in this study.  

They provide the City of Candiac with a clear road map to effectively plan future work. Taken together, these measures and scenarios position the city on the path to more sustainable energy management in line with current environmental imperatives.

How has the GMF Community Buildings Retrofit Advisory Service supported your efforts, and were there times when its advice was particularly helpful?  

First of all, thank you! The advisory service was very well received internally. Having direct access to an independent French-speaking professional who could review the study calculations and confirm the choices proposed by the company reassured us and enabled us to move forward quickly.

We were also able to get our proposal for the call for technical plans and specifications approved. The city doesn’t have any staff members who specialize in this type of work. Having an expert at our side made us confident in our decisions and enabled us to move forward quickly and enjoy greater credibility.   

What advice would you give to other Quebec municipalities considering energy retrofits for their community buildings?

First tip: The GMF Green Buildings Pathway Guidance Document is bold and comprehensive. It guides the municipality, shows the overall impact of the work on energy consumption and reduces the workload.    

Second tip: Do the feasibility study even if the improvements are planned for a more distant future. You’ll be ready at any time, make the most of your investments and will be able to direct the work to achieve specific objectives.  

Third tip: Set aside time to work on this in-house!

 

This project is about more than just asset management—it’s about the big picture. It combines decarbonization, energy efficiency, community and social responsibility, funding opportunities and energy savings.” 

- Normand Dyotte, Mayor of the City of Candiac, Quebec

 

Inspiring stories from municipalities big and small

A new life for a cherished old church in Saint-Valérien In the heart of small-town Saint-Valérien, with fewer than 1,000 residents, community members saw potential in an unused church. With a vision to turn it into a vibrant community centre, they used GMF funding to implement energy upgrades to make the building more affordable to operate and more environmentally sustainable. Through retrofits like replacing the oil furnace with a biomass system and improving insulation, they aimed to cut energy use by 98% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 21 tonnes a year. Beyond energy savings, the project created local jobs, boosted tourism and brought new life to the town’s core. Today, the former church is a welcoming hub for recreation, learning and connection.

 

Revitalizing Gabrielle-Roy Library in Québec City After decades of service, the Gabrielle-Roy Library needed upgrades for energy efficiency, comfort and accessibility. The City of Quebec took on a major retrofit project, improving thermal performance with enhanced insulation and installing high-performance mechanical systems, LED lighting and a heat recovery ventilation system. These upgrades helped reduce energy costs while creating a more inclusive and welcoming space. Despite budget and construction challenges, the result will be a brighter, more modern library that better serves the community.

 

GMF grants and loans are available to help municipalities make public buildings more energy-efficient, all while creating local jobs and reducing energy bills. Apply for funding today, regardless of where you are in the energy-efficiency process.

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