Government Funding for Warming Centres at Islamic Centres, Colchester Transit Study

Provincial funding will help create new community warming centres and lower power bills at mosques in Truro and Dartmouth.

The Province also announced funding today, April 22, to help create new community transit options for the people of Truro and the Municipality of the County of Colchester.

“I am pleased to announce this funding that will benefit people throughout Colchester and Truro, while also helping reduce the province’s greenhouse gas emissions and create more clean, renewable energy to power important community places,” said Dave Ritcey, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage and MLA for Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River, on behalf of Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “This type of community-led leadership is inspiring to all Nova Scotians and demonstrates the kind of action we need to create stronger and more caring communities and fight climate change.”

The Islamic Association of Nova Scotia received $116,691 from the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund for solar panels, generators and building upgrades to their Truro and Dartmouth mosques. These upgrades will lower their energy bills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and allow the facilities to be used as public warming centres during extreme weather events.

The Municipality of the County of Colchester and the Town of Truro received $102,800 from the fund to explore options for a regional public transit network that will be green, sustainable, accessible and affordable transportation options.

Quotes:

“The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities is pleased to support the Islamic Association of Nova Scotia and the Municipality of the County of Colchester through the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund. The association’s energy modernization project will significantly reduce its carbon footprint, while Colchester’s project will provide valuable insights into energy consumption to support a regional public transit network. These projects are great examples of how communities can take meaningful action on climate change while lowering energy costs and enhancing long-term sustainability.”
— Juanita Spencer, CEO, Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities

“With the support of the Province of Nova Scotia, the Islamic Association of Nova Scotia is making important upgrades to become more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. These improvements – like installing solar panels, battery backup systems and making our facilities more efficient – will help us meet the growing needs of the Nova Scotia Muslim community in a sustainable way. As our community continues to grow through immigration and migration from other provinces, we need long-term, cost-effective solutions to support religious and social services. The savings from these upgrades will allow us to reinvest in our community and support local businesses. As a volunteer-run non-profit, this progress would not be possible without provincial support, and we are deeply grateful for it.”
— Emad Aziz, community outreach officer, Islamic Association of Nova Scotia

“We are excited to embark on this important initiative with the Municipality of Colchester. This plan is critical to understanding the needs of our community and how best we can create a transit system that works for everyone. Together, we can develop a plan that not only improves transportation but also contributes to a more sustainable and equitable future.”
— Cathy Hinton, Mayor, Town of Truro

“We believe this study represents a significant opportunity to enhance transportation in our region, reduce environmental impact and improve accessibility for all.”
— Christine Blair, Mayor, Municipality of the County of Colchester

Quick Facts:

• the government created the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund in 2021 as part of the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, its legislated commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, respond to climate change, transform how Nova Scotians produce and use energy, make homes and buildings energy efficient, and more
• the program provides grants 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 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
• since launching in 2022, about $10 million has been invested through the fund
• the Province’s accessibility strategy, Access by Design 2030, outlines how the government will achieve its goal of an accessible province by providing people with disabilities equitable access to programs, services, information and infrastructure

Additional Resources:

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

News releases about the fund and related projects: https://news.novascotia.ca/search/all?field_topics=228

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

Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/ns-climate-change-plan.pdf

Weathering What’s Ahead: Climate Change Risk and Nova Scotia’s Well-being: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/climate-impacts

Access by Design 2030: https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/access-by-design