The State of Canada's Cities and Communities 2012 - FCM

Chapter 3
Page 3
The 2001 federal budget also brought some
relief to cities struggling with the need for affordable
housing, allocating $680 million over
five years to the Affordable Housing Program.
Budget 2001 also doubled federal contributions
to the Green Municipal Fund (GMF). In addition,
that budget saw the creation of the $2-billion
Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund and the
$600-million Border Infrastructure Fund.
Although welcome and a good start, these measures
were not enough to offset two decades of
neglect and downloading of responsibilities by
federal and provincial/territorial governments.
With their revenues limited to the property tax—
and saddled with new, often unfunded responsibilities—municipal
governments watched as their
infrastructure continued to deteriorate, even as
the need for services expanded.
Clearly, change was needed, but it would not
come without a push. This is the story of that
push, and how the struggle for a new federalmunicipal
relationship fostered the consolidation
of the municipal sector as it coalesced around
FCM, preparing the sector for its role as full
partner with the federal government.
FCM’S GREEN MUNICIPAL FUND: INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP
TO BUILD SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
In 2000, the Government of Canada partnered with FCM to create an entirely new
municipal financing mechanism – the Green Municipal Fund – designed to achieve
national goals for a cleaner, healthier environment through the planning and construction
of innovative, sustainable infrastructure. The Government of Canada endowed FCM
with $125 million to establish GMF in 2000. Through two subsequent endowments, the
fund is now worth $550 million.
To date, FCM has committed to disbursing $550 million to support 875 green initiatives
across Canada. Of the 875 initiatives funded to date, 150 have been capital projects,
of which 40 have been completed and reported environmental results. Together, these
40 capital projects have:
• reduced annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 175,000 tonnes
• diverted from landfill over 215,000 tonnes of waste per year
• made over 67 hectares of previously unusable land available for use
• improved the quality of over 122,000 cubic metres of soil
• treated over 36 million cubic metres of water per year
• reduced water consumption by over 147,000 cubic metres annually
GMF-funded initiatives are delivering environmental benefits, along with real economic
savings and social benefits. In fact, GMF-supported initiatives have leveraged
as much as $3 billion of economic activity in more than 430 communities — proof
positive that our funding offer is relevant to Canadian municipalities in helping them
achieve their objectives on the path to sustainability.
The growing number of green infrastructure initiatives led by municipalities and
supported by GMF is not only helping to lay the foundations for a green economy in
Canada, but demonstrating how sustainability can improve our quality of life.