Canada's buildings sector is the third-largest contributor to greenhouse gases across the country. Retrofits to existing buildings can improve energy efficiency and comfort for residents while reducing their pollution.
Today, the Honourable Joanne Thompson, on behalf of the federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced that Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program (GNPP) is investing $5.4 million toward deep energy retrofits for 101 municipally owned community housing units in St. John's. The City of St. John's is investing $4.4 million and has also received $1.66 million in funding through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) Affordable Housing Fund to support the improvements of these 101 units and additional repairs of 65 units.
These retrofits are expected to reduce energy use by more than 50 percent and greenhouse gas emissions from each unit by more than 80 percent. The project will retrofit the building exterior and improve the efficiency of lighting and heating systems.
Going forward, the project will allow the City of St. John's to compare and validate the energy performance and cost of retrofitting various types of residential properties. This will help identify cost-effective retrofits for other projects in the future.
The funding announced today will help improve the community housing on offer in St. John's, increase energy efficiency for residential units and advance Canada's commitment in the global fight against climate change.
