ELIZABETH METIS SETTLEMENT, AB, April 29, 2024 /CNW/ - Upgrades to the local community hall will create a better and more energy efficient gathering space after an investment of nearly $250,000 from the federal government.

Announced by Minister Randy Boissonnault and Elizabeth Metis Settlement Chairperson Kathy Lepine, this project will improve the main community facility in the settlement where people gather for cultural, recreational and local activities throughout the year.

Upgrades are underway to the community hall that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maintenance costs through the replacement of furnaces, installation of smart thermostats, low flow water fixtures, LED lighting and solar power. The Elizabeth Metis Settlement Community Hall is located in the centre of the community and is widely used by everyone living in the area as a meeting place for social activities and celebrations. The facility is a common gathering place for youth and seniors and houses a stage for live performances, a kitchen, a health nurse station, exterior playgrounds and baseball fields. As such a central and important hub to the community, improvements to the facility will increase the quality of life for all members of the Elizabeth Metis Settlement.

Funding announced today by the federal government through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program aims to improve the places Canadians work, learn, play, live and come together by cutting pollution, reducing costs, and supporting thousands of good jobs. Through green and other upgrades to existing public community buildings and new builds in underserved communities, the GICB program helps ensure community facilities are inclusive, accessible, and have a long service life, while also helping Canada move towards its net-zero objectives by 2050.

"Transforming recreational spaces into green, accessible places is key in our support for Canadians. Energy efficiency in the Prairies is an essential part of cultivating community economic development. By upgrading parts of the Elizabeth Metis Settlement, our Government is working to create a better quality of life through investments that will last into future generations." 

The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"The natural environment has always been important aspect of Metis Culture. We at Elizabeth Metis Settlement are proud to be a part of Canada's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On behalf of our people and future generations thank you for your work and foresight in keeping our beautiful country clean, hiy hiy."

Kathy Lepine, Chairperson, Elizabeth Metis Settlement 

• The federal government is investing $249,999 in this project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program and the Elizabeth Metis Settlement is contributing $39,719.
• These enhancements are expected to reduce the facility's energy consumption by an estimated 47.3% and greenhouse gas emissions by 79.3 tonnes annually.
• The GICB program was created in support of Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. It is supporting the Plan's first pillar through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the increase of energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate change.
• The program is providing $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades.
• At least 10% of funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.
• The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program is now closed.
• On December 18, 2023, the federal government launched the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, which highlights the need for a collaborative, region-specific approach to sustainability, focusing on strengthening the coordination of federal programs, and initiatives with significant investments. This Framework is a first step in a journey that will bring together multiple stakeholders. PrairiesCan, the federal department that diversifies the economy across the Canadian prairies, has dedicated $100 million over three years to support projects aligned with priority areas identified by Prairie stakeholders to build a stronger, more sustainable, and inclusive economy for the Prairie provinces and Canada.
• Infrastructure Canada is supporting the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy to encourage greater collaboration on investment opportunities, leverage additional funding, and attract new investments across the Prairies that better meet their needs.

Green and Inclusive Community Buildings
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gicb-bcvi/index-eng.html

Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html

Federal infrastructure investments in Alberta
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-ab-eng.html

Building a Green Prairie Economy Act
https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/B-9.88/page-1.html

Building a Green Prairie Economy
https://www.canada.ca/en/prairies-economic-development/programs/green-prairie-economy.html 

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada