Grants and Contributions:
The project will result in a greener and more inclusive Rideau Heights Community Centre (RHCC) that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs while improving long‑term sustainability. The enhanced facility will support greater social inclusion by removing physical barriers, enabling broader participation in essential programs and services, and strengthening the centre’s role as a welcoming community hub for people of all ages and abilities.
The purpose of this program is to improve the condition and broad availability of community buildings across Canada for the benefit of high-needs communities and equity-seeking groups, while also making the buildings ‘greener’ - more energy efficient, lower carbon, resilient, and high performing in the context of climate change. The program focuses explicitly on community buildings with a recognition that these structures and spaces are at the heart of community vitality; they are the places where Canadians gather and mingle, where they access essential services, where they learn and play. The quality and availability of these buildings – along with the services that they provide – make a meaningful difference for fostering inclusion in society and combating systemic inequities. Investments in repairs and construction of infrastructure are also intended to help communities to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 by supporting jobs and economic growth.
Further, the program aligns with Canada’s strengthened climate plan to build and adapt buildings to reduce carbon emissions; and it includes assessment and prompts that seek to quantify GHG emissions reduction, advance best practices in GHG mitigation measures, foster awareness and alignment to green building standards nationally, while encouraging best practices in building design for climate change resilience.
The GICB program will provide eligible recipients with funding for community buildings that will ultimately make them more green (climate focused), improve social inclusion and build back better, while contributing to the economic recovery.