A Municipality of Port Hope councillor hopes to advance environmental efforts in tangible ways and make new connections through her participation on the national Green Municipal Fund Council.
Councillor Claire Holloway Wadhwani has been appointed to the council as Ontario’s municipal representative.
The Green Municipal Fund is a program of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), an advocacy group representing over 2,000 Canadian municipalities. The fund invests in innovative and effective environmental initiatives across the country including sustainable municipal buildings, community energy systems, municipal fleet electrification, organic waste-to-energy, net-zero transformation, and community buildings retrofit.
“I’m looking forward to getting to work with and learn from colleagues from municipalities across the country, along with those representing federal departments and industry,” Holloway Wadhwani told kawarthaNOW.
“While I will not be able to vote on any applications coming from my home community, I believe this will be an incredible opportunity to broaden my knowledge about what other communities like ours are doing to address climate change and advance sustainability — whether through sustainable housing, retrofitting community buildings, investing in active transportation infrastructure, or embracing nature-based solutions in public spaces.”
The councillor stated in a media release she’s “proud to bring the perspective of smaller communities like ours to the table. I look forward to sharing what I learn through this role to advancing our goals here in Port Hope and to supporting projects that strengthen resilience, equity, and quality of life for all Canadians.”
Members of the Green Municipal Fund Council represent a broad spectrum of expertise, with one-third being Government of Canada representatives, one-third being elected municipal officials appointed by FCM’s board of directors, and one-third being external members representing the public, private, academic, and environmental sectors.
Members help shape policies and programs that advance climate resilience and sustainability in communities of all sizes, according to the release.
Holloway Wadhwani said she took part in “a rigorous application, interview, and reference check process, which included a reference from (Municipality of Port Hope Mayor Olena Hankivsky) about my work here in Port Hope. I was notified towards the end of August that I was selected.”
Her appointment was in response to a call for municipal councillors with a background in sustainability and climate action. The Green Municipal Fund was specifically looking for a representative from Ontario.
“This is a proud moment for our community,” Hankivsky said in the release.
Holloway Wadhwani’s appointment to the Green Municipal Fund Council “highlights the leadership and innovation happening in Port Hope and ensures our community’s voice is represented on a national stage. The insights gained through this role will directly support our local sustainability goals and reinforce our commitment to building a resilient and thriving future,” Hankivsky said.
Holloway Wadhwani is serving her first term on Port Hope council. She chairs the municipality’s environmental advisory committee, through which she championed the development of Port Hope’s first Community Climate Action Plan and is working with staff and residents to lead its implementation.
She also serves as the board chair of Community Power Northumberland, a renewable energy co-op advancing community-owned sustainability projects and public engagement, the release noted. With more than 15 years of experience as a consultant to non-governmental organizations and international organizations, she supports initiatives “grounded in equity, environmental sustainability, and community-led development.”
The councillor is heading to Ottawa this week for her first in-person council meeting.
“It’s an exciting time at the Green Municipal Fund as they have just announced a significant investment in municipal housing projects using green technologies and working towards net zero builds and are expanding their focus on community engagement, adaptation, and resilience as core strategies to complement infrastructure initiatives,” Holloway Wadhwani said.
“I look forward to bringing home inspiration, connections, and tangible ideas that we can use to strengthen our resilience as a community and incorporate sustainability thinking throughout our municipal operations.”
