Feds promise $23M to fight greenhouse gases in N.W.T.

Federal and territorial officials decried climate change's ongoing effects on the Northon Thursday, as they celebrated a $23 million funding announcement for greenhouse gas reduction projects in the Northwest Territories.

"If we don't get this right and tackle climate change it's going to be very hard to have an economy," said federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKennaat the Legislative Assembly of the N.W.T.

"We know in the North the rate of warming is a lot quicker ...this has real impacts, not just on the land but also on people's lives."

McKenna added the funding will be doled out over the next four years.

"Climate change is a real thing in the Northwest Territories and it's a real challenge for us," said N.W.T. Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Wally Schumann.

A background document released by the territorial government notesthe money will be used to retrofit public housing, upgrade three boats owned by the government to make them more fuel-efficient, fund reforestation projects in the territory, and increase the budget of the Arctic Energy Alliance.

McKenna said the funding would result in more northern jobs, adding thatevery dollar spent on energy efficiency generates between $4 and $8of gross domestic product, and that over 100,000 Canadians are employed in energy efficiency-related jobs.

"[The Northwest Territories] is also a harsh climate so if we can figure out solutions about how to build better here, these are solutions we can share with the world," she added.

The money will also go to an application-based grant program forgovernments in the territory. Communities will be able to get up to 75 per cent in funding to cover the costsof selectedprojects.

In addition to the federal money, the N.W.T. governmentis investing$7.4million to support programs, which the government of Canada states willhelp families and businesses make environmentally friendly changes that benefit the economy and the environment.

In April 2018, the N.W.T. government announced a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the territory by 517 kilotons. If the programs are used to the fullest, the agreement will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 kilotons roughly sixper cent of territory's reductions target.

Minister Schumann said a "slew" of other projects would need to be used together to hit the target, pointing to his efforts to securefederal funding for the proposedTaltson hydroelectric expansion project.

McKenna confirmed that the topic ofTaltson was raised during a discussion on Thursday aboutopportunities to do big projects.