Alberta’s Community Energy Conservation Program Will Help Municipalities Make Energy-Saving Upgrades

May 7, 2024

Arenas, community centres and other facilities consume large amounts of energy. These facilities can be costly to operate and upgrades are often expensive to implement. With inflation and energy costs on the rise, many municipalities want to improve energy efficiency and save money.

Thanks to funding from the Alberta government, municipalities can now apply to the Community Energy Conservation Program to make energy-efficient upgrades to municipally owned buildings. This will help communities of all sizes save energy, lower energy costs and reduce emissions.

Under the new Community Energy Conservation Program, up to $500,000 is available per municipality, including community-related organizations. The funding can be used for recreation centres, libraries, community halls, transit centres, fire halls and waste water treatment facilities, among others.

Communities can apply for funding to help conduct energy audits of existing community facilities. They can also receive funding for a wide range of projects, including upgrading insulation, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, interior and exterior lighting, and more. Municipalities are encouraged to visit the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre’s website for more information.

The Community Energy Conservation Program is part of an $18-million investment by Alberta’s government to help reduce costs for municipalities through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre. It is part of Alberta’s Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan, which is reducing emissions, creating jobs and supporting a strong economy.

Quick facts

• Applications for the Community Energy Conservation Program are now open and will close in March 2026, or when funding has been fully allocated, whichever comes first.
• Under the program, funding will be provided through:
  • Energy audits: Up to 50 per cent of pre-GST energy audit costs (per facility), to a maximum of $7,500 for all municipal facilities.
  • Retrofit projects: Up to 50 per cent of project costs. Projects may receive 25 to 50 per cent of project costs depending on the abatement rate.
  • Retrofit project bonus: A bonus of 10 per cent project cost rebate will apply if a project results in a 20 per cent or greater reduction in facility-wide emissions.
• Eligible costs include the equipment, materials, labour, installation, and project or construction management costs required to complete the project.
• The Municipal Climate Change Action Centre was established in 2009 as a partnership between Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Alberta Municipal Affairs, Alberta Municipalities and Rural Municipalities of Alberta.
• Through this partnership, the Government of Alberta invests in programs that provide funding, technical assistance and education to Alberta municipalities and community-related organizations to help lower energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Alberta’s government has provided more than $24 million to the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre since 2019. 

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