Ottawa, ON – In response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government is injecting an additional $120 million into the “Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.” As part of Ottawa’s $3 billion COVID-19 Resilience stream, the additional funding will be used to support ventilation improvement projects to public buildings across Canada.
As reported on by the Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute (HRAI), the new $120 million investment will support provincial, territorial, municipal and regional governments and Indigenous organizations to fund projects that are primarily used to increase outdoor air intake or increase air cleaning to help reduce the transmission of the virus. In addition, projects covered by the fund include repairing or replacing HVAC units and increased maintenance to optimize existing systems.
The initial $3 billion COVID-19 Resilience stream was created for provinces and territories to provide added flexibility to fund quick-start, short-term projects that might not otherwise be eligible under the existing funding streams.
- To qualify for funding, a project to improve air ventilation in a public building must be deemed eligible under the conditions below:
- Projects must serve populations that are more susceptible to poor outcomes if they contract COVID-19 (long term care homes, friendship centers, shelters)
- Have high occupancies (schools, congregate living housing)
- Be located where activities are at higher risk of infectious aerosol particle generation (recreation or sports centers).
- Remain open through lockdown, or are the last to close when restrictions are increased, to continue to provide services (libraries, buildings used as emergency shelters)
- Have been identified by public health authorities as a higher risk for outbreaks based on local conditions.
The following program requirements also apply to project eligibility.
Project size and cost-sharing requirements have to follow the COVID-19 Resilience stream, and projects must be completed by March 31st, 2023. Lastly, project costs for ventilation improvement projects are retroactively eligible for funding and will apply to any eligible expenditures incurred after December 1st, 2020. This is a time-limited parameter that applies to projects approved by March 31st, 2022.
To apply, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca.