Peterborough is about to join seven other Ontario communities to become a “green economy hub” that will help local businesses achieve their energy efficiency and sustainability goals.
On Thursday (July 18) at the VentureNorth building in downtown Peterborough, Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, on behalf of federal natural resources minister Amarjeet Sohi, announced $256,250 in federal funding for three new green economy hubs.
Green economy hubs support local networks of businesses to set and achieve sustainability targets, including carbon emission reductions. The hubs are an initiative of Green Economy Canada, a non-profit organization founded in Waterloo in 2014 as Sustainability CoLab.
With provincial funding to date, Green Economy Canada has already helped launch green economy hubs in Hamilton and Burlington, Kingston, London, Ottawa, Sudbury, Waterloo Region, and York Region. According to Green Economy Canada, 250 businesses in green economy hubs have so far collectively reduced 200,000 tons of greenhouse gases — the equivalent of taking over 42,000 cars off the road for one year.
The organization is now working with partners to launch hubs in Peterborough and New Brunswick by the fall of 2020. The New Brunswick hub will be the first one created outside of Ontario.
VIDEO: Green Economy Hubs
“Our government believes that Peterborough has all the right credentials to be a national hub and leader in this work,” Monsef says. “Climate change is real. There is no longer a choice to be made between protecting our environment and growing our economy. We must do both.”
The project is funded through Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Efficiency Program, which promotes the benefits of energy efficiency, such as lower energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, improved operating performance, and increased asset values.
“Local businesses play an integral role in creating a sustainable future,” Monsef says. “Becoming more energy-efficient leads to lower energy costs and maintenance costs and creates less pollution, all while creating jobs and increasing industry competitiveness.”
The Peterborough hub will involve the City of Peterborough, Peterborough GreenUP, Peterborough Distribution Inc., Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, Sustainable Peterborough, and Trent University.
The group will work together with local business and and community partners to create the tools, resources, and supports necessary to advance a low-carbon future in the region.
For more information on Green Economy Canada, visit greeneconomy.ca.
