Campbell River, Calgary and the Region of Waterloo selected as GTI Pilot Communities!

Ottawa, Ontario – October 22, 2015. The Community Energy Planning: Getting to Implementation in Canada initiative (GTI) is excited to announce that the communities of Campbell River, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; and the Region of Waterloo, Ontario have been selected as the GTI Pilot Communities.

“The objective of the GTI Pilot Communities Initiative is to help communities navigate the challenges associated with community energy planning and to accelerate CEP implementation,” said Dale Littlejohn, Executive Director of the Community Energy Association. “Each of the 3 selected Canadian pilot communities will receive expert support from the GTI team to advance the implementation of their CEP over an 8-12 month period.”

A CEP is a tool that helps define community priorities around energy with a view to improving efficiency, cutting emissions, and driving economic development. It typically includes an energy and greenhouse gas inventory, targets and an action plan. While 180 communities across Canada, representing 50 percent of the population, have a CEP, all communities are facing challenges when it comes to implementation.

“The City of Campbell River is thrilled to have been chosen as one of the GTI Pilot Communities,” said Ron Neufeld, Deputy City Manager and General Manager, Operations at the City of Campbell River. “While we have made some progress in terms of implementing our Community Energy and Emissions Plan, we anticipate the expert support of the GTI initiative will help us make significant strides forward towards our vision and goals.”

“The GTI project is a fantastic opportunity for the City of Calgary to work with outside experts to accelerate the implementation of Calgary’s Community Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan,” said Claire Beckstead, Environmental Specialist at the City of Calgary, “we look forward to working with the GTI team to realize the full potential of Calgary’s Community Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, and to start to turn the curve on our community GHG emissions.”

“The Region of Waterloo is committed to a vision of being an inclusive, thriving and sustainable community, maintaining harmony between rural and urban areas while fostering opportunities for current and future generations,” said David Roewade, Sustainability Planner, Community Planning and the Region of Waterloo. “We are excited to be selected as one of the GTI pilot communities which will help us deliver on this vision and contribute to the development of a thriving economy, environmental protection and sustainable growth management.”

“On behalf of the GTI team, we offer our congratulations to the communities of Campbell River, Calgary, and the Region of Waterloo,” said Brent Gilmour, Executive Director of QUEST. “We are looking forward to working with them to build Smart Energy Communities through the implementation of CEPs.”

To learn more about the GTI Pilot Communities Initiative click here.