Call for Expressions of Interest: Join our MNZA rural and remote community energy transition research project

QUEST Canada is recruiting rural and remote municipalities from across the country to participate in the Motivating Net-Zero Action in Rural and Remote Communities (MNZA) community energy research project – deadline to apply is August 5, 2024

QUEST Canada invites rural and remote area situated municipalities across Canada to join the Motivating Net-Zero Action in Rural and Remote Communities (MNZA) research project.

QUEST has been awarded funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada to undertake research exploring motivations and barriers to net-zero action in rural and remote communities with a population of 30,000 and under.

Eligible applicants include local governments (Indigenous, municipal, regional or a group of small municipalities and/or bands), or organizations applying on behalf of a local government or a group of local governments (e.g. a local energy distributor or not-for-profit organization).

Why participate?

To-date, 40+ municipalities have participated in QUEST Canada programs, across New Brunswick, the three Prairie Provinces, and soon Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador.

Join us to:

• Have your rural and remote community voice heard in the energy transition.
• Learn from like-minded and like-situated municipalities.
• Contribute to policy recommendations to appropriate levels of government.

Services offered by QUEST:

Through collaborative, working group meetings, QUEST staff will help municipal representatives identify and research local, rural and remote energy transition opportunities, and the barriers to their inaction.

Join to help us to:

• Tailor rural and remote Canada’s community energy transition research directions and narrative.
• Identify local opportunities to fill the gap in Canadian-focused rural and remote net-zero community research.
• Share in a collaborative, competition-free and ‘energy agnostic’ (all inclusive) research working group environment.

Time required from municipal staff:

Expectations of participating communities include sharing information, receiving monthly national and regional e-news and program updates, participating in in-person (or virtual) interviews and workshops, and attending relevant webinars. The QUEST Canada team will undertake the groundwork involved in creating and maintaining project momentum.

Outputs:

As a result of your participation, you will contribute to a final report on the common opportunities and barriers in rural and remote communities in Canada, as well as help define net-zero pathway narratives.

Participating communities will also receive a developed list of local pathways to enabling and supporting sustained net-zero action.

Participation:

Participation in the MNZA project is free of charge.

To Apply:

If your community is interested in participating in the Motivating Net-Zero Action in Rural and Remote Communities research project please write to QUEST Canada’s Senior Lead, Research and Projects, Gemma Pinchin at: [email protected], with the subject line ‘MNZA Expression of Interest’.

Please include the following information:

1. Municipal name, address, website.
2. Main contact, title, division/department, coordinates.
3. Size and population of municipality(s).
4. Does your community have an integrated community energy and emissions plan? (If yes, please attach).
5. How did you hear about this opportunity?

Deadline:

QUEST Canada’s Call for MNZA project Expressions of Interest closes Monday, August 5, 2024 @ 5:00pm, PDT.

Questions?

Don’t hesitate to reach out to QUEST’s Senior Lead, Research and Projects, Gemma Pinchin at: [email protected]

Download / Print a Copy:

Download / Print this Call for Expressions of Interest – MNZA (pdf)

About QUEST Canada

QUEST Canada is a registered Canadian charity that supports communities in Canada on their pathway to net-zero. Since 2007, we’ve been facilitating connections, empowering community champions and advising decision-makers to implement energy use and emissions reduction solutions that best meet community needs and maximize local opportunities. With the goal of encouraging, assisting and enabling communities to contribute to Canada’s net-zero goals, we develop tools and resources, convene stakeholders and rights holders, and advise decision-makers.

Questions?

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to QUEST’s Senior Lead, Research and Projects, Gemma Pinchin at: [email protected]

Project funding:

MNZA is made possible through the generous contribution of our project funder:

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