Ontario Municipal Eco Fund gives to towns

KINGSTON, Ontario, May 28 (UPI) -- Ontario's $20 million Municipal Eco Challenge Fund is now under way.

The provincial grant program is designed to encourage municipalities to make infrastructure improvements that will conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The grants are available to cover as much as 50 percent of retrofit costs, up to a maximum of $500,000, and municipalities have until July 2 to apply for the first round of funding.

Individual cities are already making plans. The city of Kingston may retrofit about 40 municipal buildings to save on energy costs, the Kingston Whig-Standard reported.

In Pickering, the town council and a large number of young residents are already benefiting from the Audit Plus Plus Program, in which the city will receive a free audit and education tools to conserve energy, the Pickering News Advertiser reported.

The mayor said the town will continue to apply for government grants in order to make Pickering more sustainable.

"It's my anticipation the city of Pickering can take great advantage of these innovative opportunities," Mayor David Ryan said.