LÉVIS, QC, Jan. 23, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Member of Parliament for Lévis—Bellechasse, on behalf of Canada's Environment Minister, the Honourable Peter Kent, announced funding from the EcoAction Community Funding Program for a new environmental project in Lévis, Quebec. Coopérative Forêt d'Arden will receive $71,000 in federal funding to support local action to reduce pollution and improve air quality.
"The EcoAction community funding program is a concrete example of how the Government of Canada is helping communities and their citizens enjoy cleaner air, water and land," said Minister Blaney. "This project will help to raise awareness amongst youth in Lévis on environmental issues such as the importance of greenhouse gas emission reductions. We are supporting projects like these because we believe they will make a difference."
"Our government is taking real action to address the environmental priorities of Canadians and ensure we have clean air, clean water, and biologically diverse land for generations to come," said Minister Kent. "EcoAction Community Funding supports community groups across the country willing to take concrete action through on-the-ground environmental projects. We are proud to partner with these organizations that are committed to conserving Canada's natural legacy."
This project seeks to reduce greenhouse gases by 10,000 tonnes through raising awareness and promoting changes in the behaviour of 70 school classes, 2,500 families and businesses in the city of Lévis. The strategy aims to put schools in competition with one another and businesses as well. The desired changes in behaviour relate to transportation, consumption, packaging and recycling.
"Mobilizing the entire population depends on a better understanding of issues related to climate change and having the proper means of addressing them. Through its educational content and its online mobilization platform, the project Bourse Scol'ERE québécoise has become a tool of choice for inspiring sustainable behaviour aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Pamela Severini, President of the Coopérative Forêt d'Arden.
The EcoAction Community Funding Program supports projects that rehabilitate, protect or enhance the natural environment, and builds the capacity of communities and individuals to ensure future protection. This year, the Government of Canada is providing over $4 million for over 100 new projects under this Program.
More information about the EcoAction Community Funding Program is available on Environment Canada's website, at www.ec.gc.ca/ecoaction.
(Également offert en français)
SOURCE: Environment Canada
Adam Sweet
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441
Media Relations
Environment Canada
819-934-8008
Environment Canada's Twitter page: http://twitter.com/environmentca
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