Ontario Helping Colleges and Universities Fight Climate Change

Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development

Ontario Helping Colleges and Universities Fight Climate Change and Improve Energy Efficiency

Toronto, ON – Feb 12, 2018

Ontario is reducing greenhouse gas pollution and supporting student achievement by investing in energy improvements at college and university campuses across the province. This investment is part of Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan and is funded by proceeds from the province’s cap on pollution and carbon market.

Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, was joined by Chris Ballard, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, at the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto today to announce funding for publicly-assisted colleges and universities to improve the energy efficiency of their campuses, including funding for:

Installing energy-efficient windows and high-efficiency boiler replacements
Larger retrofits, upgrades and new construction for projects that achieve significant emissions reductions and/or demonstrate innovative approaches to increase campus sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas pollution
Projects that reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs through interest-free loans

Ontario’s carbon market proceeds are required by law to be invested in programs that help households, businesses and public institutions reduce greenhouse gas pollution.

Supporting Ontario’s colleges and universities to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions is part of Ontario’s plan to create fairness and opportunity during this period of rapid economic change. The plan includes a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25 through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.