News Release
March 14.2007

Federal Government Backs Anmore Renewable Energy Project

ANMORE — The Village of Anmore is taking an important step toward generating clean electricity for their community and the Lower Mainland by harnessing hydro, solar and wind energy. 

Western Economic Diversification Canada will provide the Anmore Renewable Energy Foundation with $120,000 to assess the feasibility of producing green hydrogen and clean electricity by integrating three sources of renewable energy:  micro-hydro, solar power and micro-wind.  Electricity generated from these renewable resources will be used to power facilities throughout the Village, with surplus electricity distributed to other municipalities through BC Hydro.  The Province of British Columbia, through the B.C. Ministry of Environment, also provided $75,000 for this initiative.  

"Canada’s New Government is getting things done by investing in projects that advance the research, development and commercialization of environmental technologies," said James Moore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification.  "The Village of Anmore is demonstrating that clean renewable energy is achievable and can be generated locally to help improve the lives of all Canadians."

"As was pointed out in the B.C. throne speech last month, we’re looking to all forms of clean alternative energy to meet the needs of our provincial economy," said B.C.  Environment Minister Barry Penner. "This proposal involves three types of renewable energy and it’s exactly this type of project that Premier Gordon Campbell spoke about when he said we would look for a variety of methods to play a part in our low-carbon future."

"It is very logical for a village such as Anmore to move on this type of renewable energy project" said Anmore’s Mayor, Hal Weinberg. "Anmore is the type of community where many Canadians would like to live because of our belief in sustainable development. In a practical sense it is also small enough to be able to absorb new ideas relatively easily and we have the opportunity to start to demonstrate the future way our communities could be powered." 

The Anmore Renewable Energy Foundation is a registered charitable trust and was created to demonstrate that clean, renewable energy can be locally generated to help meet community needs.  This project can be used as a model for small, remote, and First Nations communities, for the future development of locally generated renewable energy. 

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For more information, James Moore MP at 604.937.5650