Support for County of Kings Municipality Greening its Fleet

The Municipality of the County of Kings is lowering its carbon footprint and saving on fuel costs by greening its fleet. This will help create a cleaner and healthier community for the people who live there.

The Province is supporting this transition with funding through the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund for electric vehicle charging stations, which residents will also be able to use.

Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr, MLA for Kings North, made the announcement today, February 16, in Coldbrook on behalf of Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman.

“This is the kind of local leadership we need in response to climate change,” said Minister Lohr. “Fuel-switching our homes, buildings and vehicles is one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are the leading cause of climate change. Today, we are celebrating municipal leadership to forge a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable province in response to climate change.”

The municipality has received $405,000 to install electric vehicle charging stations in six different locations, including some stations that will use solar energy with battery storage. The municipality is contributing $270,000 to the project.

Quotes:

“Investing in EV charging stations paves the way for the Municipality of the County of Kings to adopt a greener way forward. Shifting to electric vehicles in the municipal fleet directly reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions in the communities we serve and brings the municipality closer to realizing environmental goals designed with cleaner air for all in mind.”
— Emily Lutz, Deputy Mayor, Municipality of the County of Kings

“Across Nova Scotia, communities continue to experience the effects of extreme weather events related to climate change. Today, the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, through the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund, is pleased to support the Municipality of the County of Kings in the transition of their current municipal fleet to alternate energy vehicles. The fund is committed to supporting eco-friendly transportation updates and we applaud the municipality’s effort to reduce their carbon footprint.”
— Juanita Spencer, CEO, Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities

Quick Facts:

• the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund is available to municipalities, non-profit and community organizations, post-secondary institutions, and Mi’kmaw communities to help them respond to and prepare for climate change impacts, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund was created on October 27, 2021, as part of the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, the government’s legislated commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, respond to climate change, transform how Nova Scotians produce and use energy, make homes more energy efficient, and more
• the fund launched on November 7, 2022, with $15 million in funding to support projects that help communities adapt to climate change, mitigate its impacts and help Nova Scotia reduce its greenhouse gas emissions; on September 28, 2023, the fund was topped up by $15.4 million and extended to 2028
• the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities was selected through a request for proposals process to develop and administer the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund on behalf of the government
• the Kings project was funded under the first round of the program; the fund’s second round opened on October 17 and closed in November

Additional Resources:

More information on the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund is available at: https://nschallengefund.ca/

News Release – More Funding to Help Make Communities Resilient to Climate Change: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230928001

News Release – Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities to Deliver Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20220414003

Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/environmental%20goals%20and%20climate%20change%20reduction.pdf