Catherine Daw, with the Collingwood Climate Action Team, and Jim Campbell, a member of the Clearview Sustainability Network, made a joint presentation to council Monday asking for support for a new project to help local businesses operate more sustainably by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and water consumption, all while lowering operational costs.
“For both of our organizations we’ve probably spent more of our time very focussed on government and people and the third wheel really, the business piece, is a very important element so that’s why we’re here to talk about this [Green Economy South Georgian Bay Regional] Hub Pilot,” said Daw.
Collingwood Climate Action Team is the local charitable organization supporting the pilot project which is led by Green Economy Canada.
“The Green Economy Canada model is to work with local small and medium sized businesses,” said Daw. “It’s not to go after the large corporations like the TD Banks and the Canadian Tires of the world because they are already doing their sustainable work, they know what needs to be done. This is really focussed on the smaller businesses, most of them local, that have a need and want to be part of what’s going on and the changes needed for the future.”
Key local stakeholders, including community climate action teams, are working together to attract and register business and not-for-profit organizations to join two cohorts of about 10 to initialize the pilot project, with the first cohort launching in
December and the second in May. The pilot will end in December of 2025.
Collingwood Climate Action Team is making similar presentations to all of the municipalities in South Georgian Bay and has successfully pitched to Collingwood ($8,500) and Town of the Blue Mountains ($10,000). The funds will support local efforts, augmenting seed funding from the Institute of Southern Georgian Bay and SGB Innovation.
Interested business owners are encouraged to fill out an expression of interest. Memberships are scaled based on the size of the organization.
Campbell’s architectural design firm has signed up. He said there is a consumer appetite for environmentally sustainable practices.
At Rockside Campbell, he said, they are installing heat pumps and electrifying vehicles, for example, in the interest of lowering their carbon footprint but also in attracting clientele looking for to hire local leaders in sustainable building design.
“Lots of initiatives have already increased the profitability of our company and have drawn in clients,” said Campbell.
“There is a great interest in the younger generation to be aligned with businesses that are, in their minds, taking the right steps.”
Daw asked council to support the pilot project by “leading by example” and enhance economic development. She asked council to consider an initial contribution of $3,500 which will fund business activities within Clearview. Municipalities that support the project will get a seat on an advisory committee.
EV charging stations
Also on Nov. 4 council approved the installation of one electric vehicle charging station at the New Lowell new Public Works/Firehall building in New Lowell and a second station at the Creemore Medical Centre.
When quotes for electrical infrastructure to accommodate chargers at Duntroon Hall, New Lowell Recreation Park and Nottawa Hall returned in the range of $18,000 to $35,000, staff looked for more economical options and found that the two remaining chargers could be installed on the Creemore Medical Centre and New Lowell Public Works/Firehall for about $3,400 apiece.
Last year council approved purchasing 10 charging stations, with two chargers on each. Eight of them have already been installed at the Stayner Community Centre, Creemore Arena, the township administration office in Stayner, Creemore Station on the Green, andon Brock Street in Stayner.
Heat pump financing program
At the end of Monday’s meeting council received a notice of motion from Councillor Marty Beelen on behalf of the Climate Action Advisory Committee.
At the Nov. 19 meeting council will consider support for the committee’s application to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund to apply for joint-funding with the Town of Wasaga Beach for the implementation of a Heat Pump Financing Program through the Clean Air Partnership (CAP).
CAP is a charitable environmental organization that enables communities to improve air quality, advance active transportation, and take bold climate action.
The Green Municipal Fund, administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, provides grants, loans, innovative financing, leveraged investments, capacity building, and strategic support to enhance the quality of life for people in Canada by accelerating a transformation to resilient, net-zero communities.