DARTMOUTH: N.S. is investing in two new programs that will help Nova Scotians reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and better prepare for climate change.
Clean Foundation will receive almost $5.4 million to deliver the new community and homeowner programs, Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman announced May 9, in Dartmouth.
“Nova Scotians expect action to address the global climate change emergency and help them adapt,” said Minister Halman.
“Our climate plan and risk assessment identified the importance of local action to respond to climate change and its impacts, such as flooding, and our communities have the expertise to understand where and how they need to take action on climate change. These programs will support more community-led action going forward.”
Most of the funding – $5 million – is for the Community Climate Capacity Support Program, which will help communities act on their climate change priorities. Climate change co-ordinators will assist communities with their projects.
Nearly $400,000 will be invested to pilot a resilient home retrofit program to address the risk of flooding caused by climate change. This pilot program will be offered in partnership with the Halifax Regional Municipality and the Town of New Glasgow.
These programs are funded by the Province’s climate change plan. Both programs will increase Nova Scotians’ knowledge and ability to act on climate-related priorities and help create more sustainable communities across the province.
Quotes:
“Nova Scotians are experiencing how climate change can impact their communities and homes. The community climate capacity and resilient home retrofit programs provide residents with the knowledge and tools to act by increasing their homes’ resiliency and addressing specific community climate needs. These programs highlight the importance of community involvement in helping our province reach its ambitious environment and climate goals.”
– Scott Skinner, President and CEO, Clean Foundation
“The Halifax Regional Municipality is pleased to be partnering with Clean Foundation and the Town of New Glasgow on the resilient home retrofits program in urban and rural Nova Scotia project. This project supports the municipality’s climate action plan, HalifACT, which strives to help communities prepare and withstand current and future climate impacts, prioritizing people most at risk. The learnings from this project will help inform a potential new program to help property owners reduce their energy demand, add renewable energy and increase resilience to climate impacts.”
– Shannon Miedema, Director, Environment and Climate Change, Halifax Regional Municipality
“Climate change impacts are affecting us at home. The Town of New Glasgow is actively working to improve our community’s adaptive capacity and support homeowners to implement resilience measures to protect their property. We are thrilled to be part of this exciting resiliency retrofit program, working alongside Halifax Regional Municipality and the Clean Foundation to build knowledge of flooding risks, prevention strategies and to improve climate resilience at home.”
– Nancy Dicks, Mayor, Town of New Glasgow
Quick Facts:
— communities across the province will be able to apply; the climate change co-ordinators will work with selected communities on their projects for a three-year period
— the pilot program for homeowners will include public engagement and retrofits for 20 homes at no cost to the homeowner
— these programs advance actions 5 and 8 of Nova Scotia’s climate plan – to help homeowners understand and respond to climate risks such as flooding, as well as increase climate change adaptation capacity in communities through hiring climate change co-ordinators
