TAMRMS#: B06
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Municipal Climate Change Action Center (MCCAC) Energy Manager Grant
Presented by: Christian Benson, Manager of Environment, Utilities & Environment Department
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
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That the following energy efficiency measures be funded from the Energy Efficiency Reserve:
1. 20% funding for two-year term position (2019/2020): $40,000
2. Operating Supplies to support the MEM position: $20,000
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
According to Council Policy C-FS-01 Financial Reserves, withdrawals from reserves shall occur as outlined within the Reserve Policy Schedules and be approved by Council through either a business case or an agenda report.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Strategic Priority #4: Infrastructure Investment: Identify and build needed capital assets.
4.4 Identify an inventory of existing facilities including an assessment of condition and
usability and identify gaps in land and facility supply and demand.
Strategic Priority #6: Environmental Stewardship: Explore innovative environmental and conservation opportunities.
6.1 Explore integrated green utilities to reduce carbon footprint, reduce servicing costs and generate revenue.
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
Service Name: Environmental Strategy and Policy Development
Service Definition: In partnership with related agencies, environmental strategies, policies and actions are developed to protect the environment.
Service Component: Greenhouse gas emissions and energy management
Current Service Level: Targets are developed to reduce greenhouse gas emission for the corporation and the community. Data is collected, summarized and reported for corporate and community greenhouse gas emission annually.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
On October 22, 2018 Council passed the following motions:
CB-18-025
That the following Council Policies, as amended, and provided as attachments to the October 22, 2018 Agenda Report titled "Annual Review of Financial Policies", be approved: C-FS-01 Financial Reserves (version 1) C-FS-05 Budget and Taxation Guiding Principles C-FS-16 Municipal Fees and Charges, Schedule 02 Transit Fares and Schedule 11 Cemetery Fees
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
In 2019 the Municipal Climate Change Action Center (MCCAC) initiated a grant funding program for a Municipal Energy Manager available to all Alberta municipalities under 150,000 residents. The grant offers up to 80% (to a maximum of $80,000 per year) of the cost of the salary of the Municipal Energy Manager position for a term up to 2 years for those municipalities that do not already have a dedicated resource for municipal facility energy management.
The Municipal Energy Manager (MEM) Program enables municipalities to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in their facilities by providing funding to offset the salary costs of an in-house Municipal Energy Manager. The MEM Program supplements the salary of a new or existing municipal employee to serve as the Municipal Energy Manager.
The City of St. Albert was notified in July 2019 that the grant application for this program was successful, upon the provision of the balance of the salary and the requirements to meet the funding agreement of the grant. The request for the withdraw from the Energy Efficiency Reserve (currently with a balance of $125,000) includes the remainder of the salary for the two-year term ($40,000), as well as $20,000 for operating supplies which will fund energy management related audits and small facility upgrades.
The grant and the associated MEM position offer the City of St. Albert an opportunity for a skilled, full time resource to address energy management and efficiency in City owned facilities. To date, the City has no dedicated staff or resources to address energy management in City facilities. This position will provide support and resources to the City’s Environmental Master Plan goals related to energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emission targets, in addition to adding much needed resources to asset management and energy efficiency planning for City owned facilities. The workplan of the position includes: complete energy efficiency projects (including energy management modeling for each City owned facility), develop a strategy for electric vehicle infrastructure at City facilities, project manage energy efficiency and energy generation projects and implement efficiencies at City owned facilities to lower operating costs.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
Internal stakeholders, including facility operators and asset management managers, have been informed regarding the successful grant application. If the request for the remaining funds is approved, this position will require coordination within internal stakeholders in order to successfully accomplish the workplan created for this position.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
If the request is approved, $60,000 of the $125,000 balance of the “Energy Efficiency” reserve will be withdrawn to fund the balance of the salary of the Municipal Energy Manager position for a two year term ($40,000) as well as $20,000 for operating supplies.
It is expected that this position will provide opportunities for energy efficiency upgrades and utility cost avoidances in City owned facilities. These recommendations may be implemented within existing operating budgets or these recommendations may come as capital charters for Councils consideration in future years. Impacts of these recommendations is expected to provide cost avoidances for civic facilities utility cost.
Legal / Risk:
The City must meet the funding agreement provisions with MCCAC for this position. Largely, these provisions include reporting and performance measures which can be met by Administration as a part of existing performance management measures.
Program or Service:
N/A
Organizational:
This position will report to the Manager of the Environment Branch. There is limited impact to the organization for this proposed term position.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
1. That Council could choose to alter the request for withdraw from the Energy Efficiency Reserve.
2. That Council could choose not to consider the request to withdraw from the Energy Efficiency Reserve at this time.
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Report Date: September 23, 2019
Author: Christian Benson
Department: Utilities & Environment
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble