OTTAWA, Feb. 20, 2019 /CNW/ - Climate change is one of the defining environmental challenges of our time. Increasing education, awareness, and climate action through independent third parties will support Canada's efforts to protect the environment and transition to a cleaner economy.

Today, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, announced funding to the Canada Green Building Council, through the Climate Action Fund.

The Canada Green Building Council's project will help raise climate change awareness among small and medium-sized businesses and increase knowledge of the design, adoption, and application of zero carbon buildings. This funding will benefit the Council's 1,000 emerging green-building professional members, who include young professionals and students eager to make zero carbon buildings the norm.

The Climate Action Fund provides up to $3 million to support projects delivered by students, youth, Indigenous Peoples and organizations, not-for-profit organizations, small and medium-sized businesses, and research and educational institutions.

Funded projects will raise awareness of climate change and clean growth and encourage others to take action in support of Canada's climate goals.

Quotes

"I am inspired by the initiatives being brought forward by Canadians from coast to coast to coast. These initiatives will help others be better informed and take positive action to tackle climate change. This funding is supporting our full-time students and youth as well as non-profit and for-profit organizations make a difference. Together, we're sharing great ideas that will help raise awareness of the importance of taking climate action right now."
– Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"The Canada Green Building Council is pleased to be a recipient of Environment and Climate Change Canada's Climate Action Fund, which will support Canada's role as a leader in constructing zero carbon buildings or retrofitting them. This innovation in Canada's building sector will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, decrease the need for fossil fuels, and support the transition to a clean-energy economy. The funding will increase the knowledge and skills of architectural, engineering, technology, and renewable-energy firms in applying low-carbon measures to the design and construction of buildings across Canada."
– Thomas Mueller, CEO and President of Canada Green Building Council

Quick facts

• The Canada Green Building Council, in Ottawa, Ontario, will receive up to $496,333 in funding through the Climate Action Fund.
• The Canada Green Building Council is a nonpartisan, business-friendly, non-profit service organization that works to advance green building and sustainable community-development practices in Canada.
• The Canada Green Building Council launched the Zero Carbon Building Standard in 2017 to provide a solution to achieving Canada's climate change commitments and help existing and new buildings achieve zero carbon.
• Buildings account for 12 percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.
• The Climate Action Fund supports initiatives that help bring new ideas and innovations to help tackle climate change and encourage climate action.
• The Climate Action Fund supports projects delivered by students, youth, Indigenous Peoples and organizations, small and medium-sized businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and research and educational institutions.
• The Climate Action Fund supports the key objectives of Canada's climate plan by making investments in climate solutions.

Associated links

• Climate Action Fund
• Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change
• Canada Green Building Council
• Canada Green Building Council's Zero Carbon

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page 

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada