October 13, 2009

WINNIPEG, Man. -- October 13, 2009 -- Winnipeg South MP Rod Bruinooge, on behalf of Canada's Environment Minister, the Honourable Jim Prentice, announced today $129,798 of funding through the ecoACTION Community Funding program for 3 projects in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The 3 innovative projects work with various communities to affect real change in several areas: composting and waste management, community gardens, and the conservation of nature in our urban setting.

"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. We are supporting projects under this program because we believe on-the-ground activities like these can and will make a difference," said Mr. Bruinooge.

"The Government encourages Canadians to make better environmental choices and to adopt sustainable behaviours. It also supports community groups taking on-the-ground action to preserve and enhance the quality of the natural environment in line with the Government of Canada's environmental agenda", said Minister Prentice. 

"Thanks to ecoACTION funding, we will engage immigrant communities in a special Master Composter training course," said Randall McQuaker of Resource Conservation Manitoba. "People who speak languages other than English will learn about backyard composting in Manitoba. Organic waste will be diverted, greenhouse gases will be reduced, householders will produce free compost, plants will be happy and communities will be strengthened."

"ecoACTION is helping inner-city residents in Winnipeg take action on environmental issues that matter," said West Broadway Development Corp's Executive Director Molly McCracken, recipient of the Growing Together project funds.  "Thanks to ecoACTION, we are able to support community gardeners to grow food locally, learn new skills and build community."

"The ecoACTION grant will help us spread awareness of this important cause by funding the development of interpretive signs and brochures", said program co-ordinator Laurel McDonald of the Manitoba Chimney Swift Initiative (MCSI).  "Without the generous support of ecoACTION, the MCSI would not be in the position it is to make a significant contribution towards the continent-wide effort to reverse the decline of the Chimney Swift."

Each year, Environment Canada funds various groups which help to deliver real results for Canadians and our environment. Environment Canada's ecoACTION Community Funding Program provides financial support to locally-based, not-for-profit organizations to undertake community-level projects that have positive, measurable results for the environment.  The program assists these organizations in initiating projects that result in cleaner air, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner water, and the conservation of nature at the local community level.

More information about the ecoACTION Community Funding Program is available on Environment Canada's website at the following address: www.ec.gc.ca/ecoACTION.

• ecoACTION Projects in Western Canada - Backgrounder