The Columbia Basin Trust is starting a new program to provide grants to community buildings to generate their own energy.
A total of $900,000 will be available for the first intake which closes Jan. 7, while a second intake will happen later in 2019.
Senior benefits delivery manager Mark Brunton says it’s open to non-profits, First Nations, and local governments.
“What they can do is apply for funding for energy generation upgrades, either renewable or alternative, up to 75 per cent of the cost of the project, to a maximum amount of $100,000.”
Brunton says there has been a lot of interest in such a fund.
“Residents in the Columbia Basin have told us that this is the kind of project they’d like to see. We’ve done a few of these in the past and it was very well received, so that’s why we launched this program.”
Helping communities conserve and generate energy is one of the Trust’s strategic priorities.
The Trust has already helped improve energy efficiency and sustainability in 47 affordable housing buildings.