Up-front multi-year funding

The GMF is a revolving fund administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). The GMF supports grants, loans, and loan guarantees to encourage investment in environmental municipal projects. The Government of Canada endowed the FCM with a total value of $675 million for this initiative through a series of budget decisions beginning in 2000 through to 2016.

The GMF was established to enhance Canadians’ quality of life by improving air, water, and soil quality, and protecting the climate. Eligible projects may fall into one or more of the following categories: brownfields, energy, transportation, waste and water. Projects may take the form of plans, feasibility studies, pilot projects, and capital projects.

The amount of GMF financing available for municipal projects is directly related to the environmental benefits or innovativeness of the project, while taking into account economic and social considerations. Grants of up to 50% of eligible costs are available for plans and studies to a maximum of $175,000. For pilot projects, grants up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $350,000 are available. Low-interest loans of up to 80% of eligible costs are available for capital projects, to a maximum of $5 million or $10 million for high-ranking projects, typically combined with a grant amount for 15% of the loan amount, to a maximum of $750,000, or $1.5 million for high-ranking projects.

As stipulated in the GMF Funding Agreement between the FCM and the Government of Canada, the FCM has created two advisory bodies: the GMF Advisory Council and the Peer Review Committee. The GMF Council’s role is to assist the FCM Board of Directors, the decision-making body for the GMF, in approving projects proposed by municipalities. The fifteen member GMF Council includes five federal members: two from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), two from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and one from Infrastructure Canada (INFC). All federal members are appointed by the FCM Board of Directors based on body for the GMF, in approving projects proposed by municipalities. The fifteen member GMF Council includes five federal members: two ECCC, two from NRCan, and one from INFC. All federal members are appointed by the FCM Board of Directors based on recommendations from the Minister of the ECCC or the Minister of NRCan.

Plans for 2019-20 were received from the FCM on March 29, 2019 as part of the Funding Agreement (FA) requirement that an Annual Statement of Plans and Objectives be sent to NRCan, ECCC and INFC Ministers by April 1st of the fiscal year to which it applies.

More details can be found on the website.