RETROFIT FUNDS TARGET COMMUNITY BUILDINGS

Two distinct, but complementary new federal programs are promising funds for community buildings. The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program will provide $1.5 billion over five years for capital upgrades, major retrofits or new construction of buildings that provide non-commercial services to the public. The Community Buildings Retrofit initiative will be administered through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Green Municipal Fund, and will make up to $167 million available over six years to improve energy performance and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in recreational and cultural facilities owned by local governments or not-for-profit operators.

Together, the programs offer varied project streams for somewhat different but often overlapping proponents, but both are focused on meeting GHG reduction targets and are aligned with the government’s pledge to invest $15 billion in measures to address climate change and boost the green economy. They are also framed as a counterpart to the $2-billion commitment for large-scale commercial building retrofits announced last fall.

“Our community buildings, like arenas, libraries and recreation centres, are important parts of our towns and cities across the country. Upgrading our existing community buildings and building new, green centres will help Canadians create healthier and more vibrant communities,” says Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “By working together, we can cut pollution, help communities save on energy costs and create good jobs.”

GREEN AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY BUILDINGS PROGRAM

The $1.5 billion fund will be dispersed through two streams: a competitive process for eligible applicants with project costs in the range of $3 million to $25 million; and funds for smaller and medium sized retro t projects in the range of $100,000 to $3 million, which will be allocated to eligible recipients on a rst-come, rst-served basis until depleted. Both streams are open to provincial/territorial and local governments, their associated agencies

and incorporated not-for-profit organizations, while $150 million is speci cally targeted for Indigenous project proponents.

Candidate buildings must be publicly accessible and host services that “play a meaningful role in fostering inclusion in society and combatting systemic inequities”. That includes community culture, recreation, health and wellness facilities, mobile structures such as mobile libraries and health clinics, and Indigenous health, social and education facilities. New construction typically must be netzero-carbon or net-zero-carbonready, but building proponents in remote or Northern communities will also have the option of exceeding requirements of the 2017 National Energy Code if it is too onerous to achieve net-zero-carbon.

The largest share of the funding — up to $860 million — will be directed to retro ts in the categories of small ($100,000 to $250,000), medium ($250,000 to $3 million) and large ($3 to $25 million) projects. To qualify, projects must meet a prescribed threshold for energy performance, and retro ts must be completed during the period between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2026. Projects that can be quickly underway will receive a scoring advantage.

Generally, a 25 per cent improvement over baseline energy use is expected, although that requirement could be waived in select cases. Proposed projects that can deliver a higher level of energy efficiency and greater GHG reductions through minimization of embodied carbon will have an edge, as will projects that incorporate climate change resilience.

“Making every building greener is critical for Canada’s sustainable development and net-zero emissions future,” submits Thomas Mueller, president and chief executive o cer of the Canada Green Building Council. “In addition to the positive environmental outcomes, green building has the power to improve occupant health, promote well-being and support learning outcomes — bene ts that all Canadians should enjoy.”

Funding can also cover various accessibility and health and safety upgrades, provided the project also meets energy and sustainability prerequisites. All accessibility measures must meet or surpass the highest published standard within the jurisdiction to qualify.

Underserved or high-needs communities will get preference in allocations for new construction projects. New construction automatically falls into the large project category, along with major retrofits valued at $3 million and $25 million, with funds to be awarded through a competitive process. Funds cannot be used to build new administrative buildings, hospitals, emergency services (police, fire, paramedic) stations for non-Indigenous communities, daycare centres, shelters for non-Indigenous patrons, multifamily housing, hospices or educational facilities for non-Indigenous communities.

Applications can be submitted via Infrastructure Canada’s portal for both streams of the program. Proponents in the competitive stream have until July 6, 2021 to apply.

COMMUNITY BUILDINGS RETROFIT INITIATIVE

The FCM retrofit program will provide grants and grant-loan combos for energy-use monitoring, recommissioning and retrocommissioning, pre-project feasibility studies and capital projects — limited to one per municipality for each program category. That ranges from a maximum of $25,000 to cover up to 80 per cent of the eligible costs of implementing energy-use monitoring to a maximum of $5 million to cover up to 80 per cent of eligible costs of capital projects.

“With community buildings like arenas, pools and recreation centres emitting some of the highest levels of municipal GHGs, successful retrofit projects can have a signi cant impact on climate change e orts,” maintains Garth Frizzell, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. “Together, we can improve our community infrastructure and work to meet Canada’s climate change goals.”

Two types of capital undertakings will be funded: GHG impact projects involving retro ts that reduce emissions by at least 30 per cent compared to the initial baseline; and GHG reduction pathway projects enabling a phased process toward achieving near-netzero emissions. Proponents can attain a combined grant and loan of up to $5 million to cover 80 per cent of eligible costs, with a maximum of 25 per cent or $1.25 million in the form of a grant. Recipients of GHG reduction pathway funding must rst complete a feasibility study, for which they can also receive grants of up to $65,000 for one building or $200,000 for a portfolio of buildings.

Recommissioning and retrocommissioning grants max out at $55,000 or up to 60 per cent of eligible costs. This could be applied to a single building or a portfolio of buildings.

Seven of Canada’s largest municipalities—Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax—which have access to a $183-million federal fund through their participation in the Low Carbon Cities Canada initiative, are not eligible this program. For now, Quebec municipalities are also on hold until an agreement between FCM and the Quebec government is nalized, but it is expected they will be invited to apply in the future.

Otherwise, Canadian municipalities and municipal partners — which might include municipally owned corporations, other agencies delivering municipal services, non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations, private-sector entities, Indigenous communities or research institutes — can apply. Typically, FCM accepts and processes applications yearround, until annual fund allocations are depleted. After that, incoming applications will be deferred until the next scal year. | CFM&D

Raising the alarm:

The need for certified fire safety support

Avoidable disasters and regulatory changes have underscored the need for stronger fire prevention measures in recent years. And for facility owners and managers, this means applying extra due diligence when adopting the fire safety systems, training, and certified professionals to keep occupants safe.

“Fire prevention is an important component of a health and safety program,” states the Workplace Safety & Prevention Services. “An effective prevention program will provide your employees with the tools and information they need to work safely and protect themselves and your business from the devastation of fire.”

What does an effective fire prevention program look like? The nuances can vary from one building to the next, but by and large, it means providing consistent training and messaging to occupants and guests on how to properly respond when a fire breaks out. Moreover, it’s one that embeds the protocols, prevention guidelines, and evacuation strategies that align with one’s industryspecific legislations.

Yet, while awareness and training are crucial to fire safety, they are not the complete solution. When an emergency strikes, occupants must be alerted immediately. Herein, it is critical to combine fire response training with fire safety systems that are correctly installed, tested, and maintained.

“Both sides of the fire equation put their life on that fire alarm system,” says Essa Fire Chief and president of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, Cynthia Ross Tustin. “The people in the building rely on it for themselves and their children to be notified to get out of the building, and the fire department relies on the quality of that fire alarm system - that it’s installed properly, maintained properly.”

“For us, it’s easier to fight a fire in a building that’s empty,” she adds. “We want to arrive when everyone’s been notified and waiting on the lawn for us.”

Certifi ed support

Ontario’s facility stakeholders are not alone in managing crucial fi re safety responsibilities. Today, they have access to certifi ed fi re safety system installation and maintenance professionals who can help ensure systems will perform to expectation and that buildings (and their teams) meet the most up-to-date Fire Code regulations.

“That’s where our Certi-Fire program comes in,” says Cathy Frederickson, a spokesperson with Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario (ECAO). “The fi re alarm and protection industry is continually changing, and one of the key changes has been in legislation regarding the installation and testing of fi re alarm systems. It is important to keep up with technology by undergoing comprehensive training with new skills and standards. Hence, we are proud of our certifi ed fi re alarm electricians, and to provide them with the professional training and certifi cation approved by the OFM to meet the requirements and resolve all types of fi re alarm concerns.”

The Certi-Fire Program has evolved over 20 years to meet the requirements of the Ontario Fire Code O. Reg. 213/07. It is also one of only two fi re system certifi cation courses of its kind recognized by the Ontario Fire Marshal. Through the four-level program, 309A licensed electricians undergo 160 hours of intense academic and hands-on training covering all facets of fi re system installation, testing, verifi cation, and maintenance, as well as Fire Code regulations. Recertifi cation (Level 5) is mandatory every fi ve years to stay current with changes of the code and standard.

“Typical life safety systems -- your smoke detectors to your carbon monoxide detectors - that’s all you see. But how it was installed, and how it was wired behind the walls, is what makes the system function and keep you safe,” says Dave Kester, Certi-Fire electrician with ProWave Electric, adding, “Certi-Fire ensures not only that your [building’s] life safety outside of your walls is in good working order, but ensures the installation itself is good.”

“Fire alarm systems are complicated and different from typical electric work,” adds Mark Llyod, T. Lloyd Electric, an ECAO Registered Fire Alarm Contractor. “Participating Certi-Fire ensures our clients have a fully functional, codecompliant system.”

With required recertifi cation every fi ve years, the intent of ECAO’s Cert-Fire program is to produce electricians who can not only provide a full breadth of electrical services but tackle a building’s full fi re safety needs. And to date, the program has certifi ed nearly 2450 professionals to do just that.

It takes a team

Fire safety is as much about systems as it is people. It’s programs like ECAO’s Certi-Fire and the Association’s additional facility manager awareness training initiatives that are working to unite all building stakeholders in turning down the heat.

“Certi-Fire training is critical,” insists Monte McNaughton, Ontario Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “It’s very important that we protect families, people, and businesses right across the province. It’s all about that consumer protection, and this training is essential to that goal.”

Certi-Fire is supported by the Joint Electrical Promotion Plan (JEPP), which is managed and funded by the Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario (ECAO) together with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Construction Council of Ontario (IBEW CCO). Learn more about ECAO’s CertiFire program at www.certifi re.org and fi nd more building owner/manager fi re safety training initiatives at www.ecao.org/all-your-fi re-alarm-needs.