The federal government is putting $3.2 million into five clean energy projects in Western and Northern Canada aimed at boosting skills training and cutting emissions.
The funding, announced Thursday by Corey Hogan, parliamentary secretary to the minister of energy and natural resources, comes through the Toward Net-Zero Homes and Communities Program.
Ottawa says the money will be used to train trades workers and Indigenous communities in Alberta to build affordable, energy-efficient homes, while also helping Inuit communities reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
“Canada’s energy and economic future depend on the people with the skills to build the projects we need,” said Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson in a statement. “This announcement demonstrates how the new federal government is investing in new economic opportunities … growing the economy while cutting pollution.”
Hogan said the initiatives show Canada is moving with “purpose” to expand sustainable energy and accelerate solutions such as greener buildings that improve affordability.
The government says more than 45 per cent of the program’s total funding has gone to Indigenous organizations. Buildings remain the third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
The $3.2 million investment is part of Ottawa’s broader pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.