Municipal Sustainability Office

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Funding Opportunities

For the current list of funding opportunities from Natural Resource Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency, click here.

Energy Conservation/Efficiency & Climate Change

Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Custom Program

As part of their demand side management programs that were approved by the Nova Scotia Utility & Review Board, Nova Scotia Power introduced a new electricity savings program to help commercial and industrial consumers (including municipalities) become more energy efficient. There is no deadline for funding applications. For more information, visit Nova Scotia Power's Commercial & Industrial Custom Program alt, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 1-800-428-6774.

Small Business Lighting Solutions Program

This program covers 80% of total lighting retrofit costs for municipalities.  Nova Scotia Power engages delivery agents to complete all the retrofit work: they will conduct a lighting audit (free of charge), order, deliver and install required materials, and remove and recycle old materials.  In order to be eligible for the program, the building to be retrofitted must:

  • Use less than 300,000 kWh annually
  • Have an average monthly demand of less than 100 kW
  • Have 12 consecutive months of billing history at the current location.

For more information on the Small Business Lighting Solution Program, telephone: 1-800-428-6230 (select option 3 - business - then option 4 - energy advisor) or e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Business Energy Rebates Program

Nova Scotia Power has launched a new rebate program that will help their commercial and industrial customers (including municipalities) purchase energy efficient products.  The Business Energy Rebates Program provides rebates to buy and install qualifying equipment in the following categories:

  • Lighting
  • Electric Motors and Variable Speed Dives
  • Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) 
  • Refrigeration
  • Compressed Air

Rebates are available to all non-residential customers in Nova Scotia.  The process for obtaining the rebates is simple and fast, so please consider this program when purchasing eligible products for your municipal facilities.  To obtain more information and to download application forms, please visit the program website at www.nspower.ca/businessenergyrebates.  If you have any questions, please contact Nova Scotia Power's program manager, Kyle Tutty by telephone (902-428-6978i) or e-mail ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive for Buildings

Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency provides financial support to help Canadians implement energy saving projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Municipal government buildings are eligible for this program (this includes rinks, arenas, fire/police stations, recreation centres), if the building has a maximum floor space of 10,000 square meters. Buildings which are in the process of being retrofitted or have completed a retrofit in the past year are ineligible. Most energy-saving measures such as efficient lighting, building envelope, motors, controls, heating, ventilating and air conditioning are eligible, as are projects using renewable resources. Visit ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive for Buildings alt for more information.

Renewable Energy

ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat (Active solar water and air heating systems)

This is a four-year, $36 million program to increase the use of renewable thermal energy by industry, commercial businesses and institutions; boost the amount of renewable thermal energy created for these sectors; and contribute to cleaner air by helping Canadian businesses use less fossil fuel-based energy for space and water heating in buildings across the country. Incentives are offered to the industrial/commercial/institutional sector to install active energy-efficient solar air and/or water heating systems and runs until March 31, 2011. For more information, visit ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat alt.

The Solar Gain Project

A partnership of Nova Scotia Department of Energy, Solar Nova Scotia, Environment Canada, the Harry P Kendall Foundation and the Ecology Action Centre, you can receive a free initial consultation, advice and contact with suppliers, and assistance in applying for rebates. Staff also provides information about heat recovery drain pipes and other energy-saving technologies. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. For more information on the Solar Gain Project, please visit the Solar Gain Project alt or contact the Ecology Action Centre by phone: (902) 442 0199 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Sustainable Communities

Green Municipal Funds

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) continues to offer GMF grants of up to $350,000 to cover half the eligible costs of sustainable community plans. Plans must consider environmental, social and economic objectives and include specific targets for environmental performance, and grants of up to $350,000 to cover half the eligible costs of feasibility studies and field tests that seek to demonstrate the potential of a project to improve the environmental effectiveness of municipal operations related to brownfields, energy, transportation, waste or water. For more information, visit FCM's Green Municipal Fund.

FCM launched a targeted GMF funding opportunity for capital projects that improve effluent quality from municipal wastewater treatment systems.

Solid Waste Management

RRFB: Research and Development Program Fund

The purpose of the program is to assist Research & Development initiatives in support of the Province’s Solid Waste-Resource Management Strategy and the mandates of RRFB Nova Scotia. Eligible projects include:

  • Projects which are comprised primarily of original work undertaken to acquire new knowledge with a specific practical application in view; or
  • Projects involving systematic work, using existing knowledge gained from research and/or practical experience that is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, or
  • Projects that install new processes, systems and services or improve substantially those already produced or installed.

Eligible applicants include municipalities, and private and/or public partnerships. The program will provide assistance to a maximum of 50% of eligible costs. Applications may be submitted at any time. For more details, contact Jeff MacCallum, Director of Programs and Business Development for RRFB (897-4360) or visit Value-Added Manufacturing Approved Program Funding Guidelines (12 kB) alt .

Alternative Transportation

Green Municipal Funds

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities accepts applications for low interest Green Municipal Fund loans and grants for capital projects that facilitate shifts to sustainable modes of transportation. For more information, visit FCM's Green Municipal Fund.

Habitats & Species

Sage Environmental Program

The mission of the Sage Environmental Program is to protect, preserve and improve the ecological integrity of Nova Scotia's natural systems with an emphasis is on the ecological sustainability of forests, wetlands, coastal and marine regions. Funding applications are considered twice a year - May 1st and November 1st. A short project summary (2 paragraphs) is to be submitted by email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), and if the project is suitable, they will solicit a full proposal. For more information visit Sage Environmental Program.

NS Species at Risk Conservation Fund

This fund was established under the NS Endangered Species Act to support projects related to species at risk. Organizations interested in helping with species at risk conservation, recovery and/or prevention in Nova Scotia are eligible to apply for funding. The average grant awarded is $10,000.00 and applicants are encouraged to have matching contributions. The next deadline for applications is June 1st, 2009. For more information visit NS Species at Risk Conservation, phone (902) 679-6091 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Others

EcoAction Community Funding Program:

Funding is available for projects that address Environment Canada’s priority issues of Clean Air and Climate Change, Clean Water, and Nature. Although municipalities are not eligible applicants, they are encouraged to partner with non-profit organizations to access this funding. The next application deadline is November 1st, 2009. For more information visit their website or contact an EcoAction Program Officer toll-free at 1-800-663-5755.

National Community Development Trust

The Province of Nova Scotia is calling for proposals for the National Community Development Trust to aid vulnerable communities experiencing difficulties due to the impacts of globalization, the economic slowdown in the United States and the rapid appreciation in the Canadian dollar. $34.9 million is available to Nova Scotian communities over the next three years. Funding applications will be accepted until March 2011. For more information, visit Community Development Trust Fund in Nova Scotia alt .

Environment Canada's Environmental Damages Fund (EDF)

This program helps ensure polluters take responsibility for their actions by giving courts a way to guarantee that the money from pollution penalties and settlements is directly invested to repair the actual harm done by the pollution. Groups who receive funding must carry out their projects in a technically feasible, scientifically-sound and cost-effective way. Municipalities are eligible to apply for funding projects that restore natural resources, preferably in the same area where the pollution occurred. There are 3 deadlines per year: March 31st, August 31st and November 30th. For more information, call 1 800 663-5755 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit Environment canada's Environmental Damages Fund alt.