Ontario offers funds to go green

TORONTO, April 10 (UPI) -- Ontario is helping municipalities green their buildings.

The government is providing grants designed to cut energy costs and environmental impacts of municipal buildings.

Starting Thursday, towns can apply for a grant to cover up to 25 percent of the cost of retrofitting their buildings with more energy efficient technology. The maximum grant is $100,000 and the application deadline is May 23.

The $20 million "Municipal Eco Challenge Fund" includes $14 million to make municipal buildings more energy efficient and $6 million to provide municipalities with training, tools and technical support, in collaboration with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Canada Green Building Council.

The grant program was announced by Premier Dalton McGuinty as part of Ontario's "Go Green action plan on Climate Change," and in conjunction with a $200 million Infrastructure Ontario loan program for municipal projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.