FCM’s Green Municipal Fund commits $1,988,800 to the Town of Halton Hills for construction of a new LEED® library in Acton

Joanne Ross-Zuj, mayor, Township of Centre Wellington, Ontario, and member of the National Board of Directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and the Honourable Michael Chong, member of Parliament for Wellington-Halton Hills, today announced Green Municipal Fund (GMF) support totalling $1,988,800 for the Town of Halton Hills. The town has invested $180,800 in grant funding and $1,808,000 in low-interest loan funding in the construction of a new sustainable and universally accessible building that achieves Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification to replace the old Acton Branch of the Halton Hills Public Library.

“FCM’s Green Municipal Fund offers a range of resources and services that specifically address the sustainable community development needs of municipal governments,” said Ms. Ross-Zuj. “The financing and knowledge provided by the Fund supports the development of communities that are more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.”

“The Government of Canada is assisting municipalities across the country in achieving their goal of a cleaner and healthier environment for Canadians through the Green Municipal Fund,” said Mr. Chong. ”Today’s announcement is another example of how our government — in partnership with FCM — is helping Halton Hills build a greener future for our citizens.”

The new 850-square-metre facility features a geothermal climate system with a ground-source heat pump that takes advantage of the building’s design to maximize the use of daylight for heating and cooling. Other energy efficiency measures include air-tight envelope construction, thermally efficient exterior walls, a perimeter-to-glazing ratio of 50 per cent, light sensors, and energy recovery ventilation units to capture the energy from outgoing air.

The town has landscaped the site to reduce its heat-island effect. Water conservation measures include bioswales (landscape elements to manage stormwater runoff) as well as water-efficient toilets and fixtures. The new building also includes bicycle storage and employee shower facilities to promote bicycle commuting.

“The Town of Halton Hills appreciates the support of the Green Municipal Fund for the construction of a new Acton branch of our public library system,” said Mayor Rick Bonnette. “The new building’s energy-efficiency and water conservation measures will result in significant operating cost and greenhouse gas emission reductions. For example, the town estimates the new Acton branch will obtain minimum annual energy savings of 46 per cent by comparison with a Model National Energy Code for Buildings reference building. This will produce green benefits the residents of Halton Hills will notice in their environment and in their pocketbooks.”

The Government of Canada endowed the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) with $550 million to establish the Green Municipal Fund™. The Fund supports partnerships and leveraging of both public and private sector funding to reach higher standards of air, water and soil quality, and climate protection.

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