MONTREAL, June 7, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - IGA retailers and Jour de la Terre Québec are celebrating Fonds Éco IGA's fifth anniversary by launching a tour that will take them all over the province. With over 500 environmental projects financed by the Fonds since its inception, there is plenty to celebrate. As part of the celebrations, IGA retailers are proud to announce a fifth $1-million donation to fund new sustainable development projects.
Over $500,000 donated in the Montreal area
"IGA retailers are very involved in their communities, and we are very happy that the Fonds contribute to financing concrete environmental projects that deliver results in our regions," declares Jonathan Champagne, owner of an IGA store located in Verdun. In the Montreal region alone, Fonds Éco IGA has financed 50 projects to the tune of over $500,000 since 2008.
There is no question that Fonds Éco IGA's contribution to local causes, from household composting, to green roofs, drinking water conservation, and building turtle docks, has positively impacted environmental practices. "Fonds Éco IGA has been associated with Jour de la Terre Québec since the very start. This partnership demonstrates IGA's genuine desire to implement sustainable projects throughout Quebec," points out Pierre Lussier, executive vice-president of Jour de la Terre Québec.
Call for project proposals to green a forgotten space
As part of the fifth anniversary celebrations, Fonds Éco IGA is contributing $100,000 for the revegetation of a forgotten space. The project's goal is to transform a run-down space (e.g. vacant lot, parking lot, or alley) into a place where life and biodiversity thrive.
To implement this project, Fonds Éco IGA invites municipalities, or citizen groups and ENGOs (environmental non-governmental organizations) backed by their municipalities, to present their project propositions this coming fall. The most promising proposal will receive a $100,000 grant from Fonds Éco IGA for the creation of their green space.
Distribution of rainwater barrels
As part of Fonds Éco IGA's fifth anniversary celebrations, close to 12,000 rainwater barrels will be distributed throughout Quebec this summer. These former olive barrels, reconditioned in Quebec, will collect rainwater that can be used for all tasks that don't require drinking water, such as gardening and outdoor cleaning projects.
In Montreal, IGA and Jour de la Terre Québec have decided to hold their celebration at the Montréal Urban Ecology Centre because this organization - which benefitted from the Fonds' financial support to install their educational roof terrace - is an excellent example of concrete and tangible results generated by contributions from the Fonds. "Our partnership with Fonds Éco IGA has enabled us to carry out an ambitious project - the Lucia Kowaluk terrace," explains Luc Rabouin, executive director of the Montréal Urban Ecology Centre. "Located on the centre's roof, the terrace is a kind of open-air micro-museum that demonstrates ways of greening confined spaces that everyone can use."
For more information about the call for greening project proposals and the distribution of rainwater barrels, visit www.jourdelaterre.org.
About Fonds Éco IGA
Fonds Éco IGA, managed by Jour de la Terre Québec, was launched to promote sustainable development in Quebec communities. It finances projects that respond to environmental realities and aims to protect, conserve, and promote sustainable environmental practices. Since its inception in June 2008, Fonds Éco IGA has financed over 500 projects in all regions of Quebec. www.iga.net (involvement section)
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