May 20, 2005

GLADSTONE—Conservation Minister Stan Struthers today announced a $320,000 cost-shared Manitoba Municipal Efficiency Project (MMEP) to help smaller municipalities identify ways to reduce their utility costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions and enhance their environmental and economic sustainability.

"Defining resource consumption and any resulting impact on the environment are the first steps in altering our practices and operational procedures," said Struthers. "This project will help municipalities develop viable action plans for the more economical and environmental operation of their buildings and utility services."

The project is cost shared equally by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the province’s Sustainable Development Innovations Fund (SDIF) and is managed by the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM). It will focus on municipalities with an average population of 5,000 or less. The energy and water audit will examine buildings owned, operated or funded by municipalities as well as municipal water and waste-water piping. The audit’s goal is to provide small municipalities with a list of actions, including projected costs and payback periods, to reduce their utility costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve their environmental and economic sustainability.

"This project is good for both the environment and for the municipal bottom line," said Ron Bell, president of the AMM. "It will allow smaller municipalities to better manage their current infrastructure needs, while learning how to reduce costs and energy emissions in the future."

"Even if municipal facilities predate the more energy efficient building methods, we can still develop energy- and resource-saving strategies that will benefit Manitobans," said Struthers.

The MMEP was established in 1999 as a federal-provincial-Manitoba Hydro partnership with the AMM to help municipalities develop environmentally-efficient community strategies.

Gladstone was one of three communities participating in the pilot stage of the project in 2000. The community has implemented most of its audit recommendations and continues to show leadership in this area with the development of a new green community centre. The centre will include an earthen roof, use of no-impact sources of radiant heat and cooling, a thermal chimney, reuse of materials, use of locally-produced or renewable materials, and water-efficient fixtures.

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