Powell River Regional District is the recipient of $116,392 from the Green Municipal Fund, an initiative of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the federal government.
John Weston, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, made the announcement on behalf of Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources Greg Rickford and Brad Woodside, president of FCM and Mayor of the City of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Friday, May 15.
The news is not new for the regional district. Correspondence dated March 28, 2014, was received by the board at its April 2014 board meeting. The regional district has put the funding toward a study of the Marine Avenue brownfield, including options for its remediation. The Marine Avenue brownfield is also known as the old incinerator site, an area the regional district proposes to use as a resource recovery site.
“Our government is helping municipalities across the country to achieve their goal of a cleaner and healthier environment for their citizens through the Green Municipal Fund,” said Weston. “Today’s announcement is another example of how our government, in partnership with the FCM, is helping communities like Powell River Regional District build a greener future for our citizens.”
“The Green Municipal Fund offers a range of resources and services that specifically addresses the sustainable community development needs of municipal governments,” said Woodside. “The financing and knowledge provided by the fund support the development of communities that are more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.”
The regional district will test the soils at its former incinerator and waste transfer site for contamination. The testing will determine, among other things, the feasibility of using plants to treat contaminated soils through a process called phytoremediation. Based on the findings, the regional district will develop a remediation plan to redevelop the site in an effort to promote economic opportunity and restore the natural environment. Site redevelopment could include a one-stop centre to facilitate the re-use, re-purposing or recycling of goods, as well as the composting of organic waste.
Results of the study will be shared at a public meeting together with the City of Powell River, and on the regional district’s website.
“The Powell River Regional District greatly appreciates the support demonstrated by both the federal government and FCM”, said board chair Patrick Brabazon. “It is investments like these through grant funding that enables local governments like ours to meet and beat the sustainability challenges of the day.”
The federal government endowed FCM with $550 million to establish the Green Municipal Fund. The fund supports partnerships and leveraging of both public and private-sector funding to reach higher standards of air, water and soil quality, and climate protection.
FCM has been the national voice of municipal governments since 1901. It fosters the development of sustainable communities to improve quality of life by promoting strong, effective, and accountable municipal government.
