Item - 2021.TA14.12

The Board of Directors of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund:

1.  Approved the following grants to be funded jointly from the Canada, Ontario and Toronto endowments except where otherwise indicated:

a.  $250,000 over 24 months to Electric Mobility Canada to develop and promote best practice policies, programs, and infrastructure investments that will enable the transition to 100 percent zero emissions light duty vehicles sales in Canada by 2030 (funded from the Canada and Toronto endowments only).

b.  $150,000 over 18 months to Pembina Institute to develop a national zero emissions medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) strategy, outlining priority actions and policy changes needed to achieve 100 percent zero emissions MHDV sales by 2040 (funded from the Canada and Toronto endowments only). Approval to be subject to the following conditions:

-  Submit for Toronto Atmospheric Fund staff approval an updated project plan and stakeholder consultation strategy which identifies how the project will mobilize all relevant stakeholders and leverage all opportunities, policy windows, and key messages to achieve the desired outcomes.

-  With the support of a Developmental Evaluation coach, prepare and implement a Developmental Evaluation plan to assess progress against objectives on an ongoing basis, and report against the plan in interim reports.

 
c.  $88,725 over 18 months to Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to assess the economic and environmental benefits of hybrid heating systems and heat pump technologies, and to raise awareness of those benefits through a communications strategy targeted at policy makers, homeowners, and industry stakeholders such as manufacturers, HVAC installers, and energy advisors (funded from the Canada, Ontario, and Toronto endowments). Approval to be subject to the following conditions:

-  The grantee will consult with Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada, and engage them as a project partner to promote project findings and recommendations to their network and membership.

-  The grantee will allocate an additional $10,000 towards the communications activities, strategies, and material expenses to ensure that the project outputs and key messages are delivered to the target audience.
 

2.  Declined three grant requests with a total value of $359,000, summarized in Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (October 22, 2021) from the Director, Strategy and Grants, Toronto Atmospheric Fund.

3.  Approved the following program allocation:

a.  $949,500 over 12 months to support Toronto Atmospheric Fund’s functional and focus area teams in implementing their priority programs and strategies for 2022. (The allocation to Toronto Atmospheric Fund’s policy team ($8,000) from the Canada and Toronto endowments, and the balance ($941,500) funded proportionately from the Canada, Ontario, and Toronto endowments.)

4.  Directed that the confidential information contained in Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (October 22, 2021) from the Director, Strategy and Grants, Toronto Atmospheric Fund remain confidential in its entirety, as it contains financial information supplied in confidence to the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, which, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to prejudice significantly the competitive position or interfere significantly with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons, or organization.

At its October 8, 2021 meeting, the TAF Grants and Programs Committee recommended that the Board approve three grants with a combined value of $488,725 and one internal program allocation with a total value of $949,500. This report provides recommendations and minutes from the Committee meeting.