New Brunswick’s Department of Environment and Local Government will accept applications for funding under the Environmental Trust Fund starting today, November 1st for the 2018–2019 fiscal year.
“The projects from the Environmental Trust Fund encourage environmental initiatives that help build a better New Brunswick and fall in line with our government’s priorities of fiscal responsibility, job creation, and helping families,” said Environment and Local Government Minister Serge Rousselle. “They also generate about 120 jobs each year for university students, seasonal workers, and full-time employees.”
For 2017–18, the fund distributed more than $8.4 million to 197 projects. Last year, the Acadian Peninsula received $721,850 to fund 23 projects, including an investment of $95,000 in the Coastal Zones Research Institute. Projects receiving funding throughout the Acadian Peninsula include initiatives that address climate change, educational programming aimed at school children, projects that help gather data to plan for community adaptation, and restoration, management and protection of the coastline and rivers.
“We are pleased that the government is investing in our sustainable development programming and helping us address many of our global issues like coastal erosion and flooding resulting from climate change,” said Léonard Larocque, CEO of the Coastal Zones Research Institute. “Our project is part of a process to develop a regional climate change adaptation plan for the Acadian Peninsula.”
“The Coastal Zones Research Institute is doing incredible work here in the peninsula region,” said Minister Rousselle. “When we look at the culmination of efforts by the hundreds of Environmental Trust Fund projects across New Brunswick, we can be proud of the progress being made to protect the planet for today and tomorrow.”
The fund has also supported biodiversity and watershed groups, such as the Fund Biosphere reserve and the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance. In 2016, Christine McLauchlan, executive director of the Watershed Alliance, told Global News, “This year the trust fund is helping us with a water monitoring program and helping us build capacity with that.”
The 2018–19 priority action areas for the fund are:
- protecting the environment
- increasing environmental awareness
- managing waste
- addressing climate change
- building sustainable communities
Submissions will be assessed based upon how they address these areas.
The application form and additional information are available online. Only online applications will be accepted. The application deadline is November 30th.
