News

Sale of TAF’s kickstart investment catalyzes new capital for renewable gas projects

10/2021 - Starwood Capital’s recent investment in BerQ RNG demonstrates that the renewable gas market is gaining momentum and attracting significant capital.

Ontario’s repeated failure to produce a natural gas conservation plan

9/2021 - The Ontario Energy Board delayed approving a new natural gas conservation plan, extended the old framework to 2022, and froze the budget without even adjusting for inflation. Real investment in gas conservation shrinks, even while diverse voices make a case for increasing investment in cost-effective conservation.

Toronto needs to speed up its electric vehicle infrastructure to meet targets, critics say

8/2021 - CBC - The city's aiming to install 10,000 public charging ports by 2030. A pilot project launched last year has seen the city install 17 on-street charging stations, but far more ambitious policies are needed to convince residents to buy in, said TAF's Ian Klesmer.

New expanded partnership between The Atmospheric Fund and Toronto Community Housing will accelerate energy retrofits and carbon reduction

8/2021 - …

Investing for climate and the tough search for the right deals

8/2021 - We’re seeing a lot of deal flow in the impact investing space but finding quality deals that achieve the intended impact can be a challenge. Tracy Haynes, TAF’s Investor Partnerships Manager provides insights and experiences about how transparency, patience, and partnerships can unlock new opportunities.

WoodGreen breaks new ground on social housing with energy-saving project

8/2021 - NOW - WoodGreen commissioned Efficiency Capital to fund, develop, and implement a building retrofit plan, bringing in engineering firms SensorSuite Inc. and Finn Projects to do much-needed capital upgrades to the buildings. The project was funded by Efficiency Capital and The Atmospheric Fund, the City of Toronto’s Better Building Partnerships loans, and WoodGreen’s capital reserves.

Toronto just approved a host of climate-related policies. We asked experts how they stack up

8/2021 - TORONTO STAR - “Toronto is such a significant part of Ontario, and of Canada, that if we fall behind on climate, it puts at risk provincial and national targets toward net zero (carbon). It also risks Toronto being left behind in the 21st-century economy,” says TAF VP Bryan Purcell.

TAF News: July 2021

7/2021 - We’re double-celebrating low-carbon buildings!

TAF congratulates the City of Toronto on passing two landmark low-carbon building policies

7/2021 - Toronto City Council approved the Toronto Green Standard Version 4 to regulate new building performance and the Net Zero Existing Building Strategy to accelerate building retrofits, putting the City on a solid path to a net zero future.

Fiddling while Toronto burns

7/2021 - SPACING TORONTO - It may be time for the province and the Ontario Energy Board to completely overhaul the traditional approach to natural gas consumption by promulgating conservation policies that provide building owners and homeowners with financial incentives to get off gas entirely instead of simply moving to high efficiency gas furnaces.

All new Toronto buildings could soon face tighter greenhouse gas emissions targets

7/2021 - CBC - "With a rapidly growing city, there is simply no path to net zero that doesn't require a transition to near-zero new construction," Bryan Purcell, TAF VP, told the city's Planning and Housing Committee. "The Toronto Green Standard is by far Toronto's most important climate policy."

Toronto’s New Buildings Could Soon be Required to Go Greener

7/2021 - STOREYS - Update to the Toronto Green Standard would require that all new mid-high rise buildings produce fewer carbon emissions and consume less energy. The update would take effect May 2022 and require a 25% drop in annual greenhouse gases and a 28% cut in energy use intensity.