MONTREAL — The Quebec government says it will invest $1 billion to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings, which are responsible for almost 10 per cent of the province’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Premier François Legault made the announcement today in his update to the government’s green economy plan, which covers a period between 2023 and 2028.

About $215 million of that money will help fund projects for thermal waste treatment — methods that transform waste into energy that can be used for such things as heating.

Legault says the government plans to create a rating system to assess the energy performance of large buildings.

He says his updated plan will help the government reach 60 per cent of its goal of cutting greenhouse gases to 37.5 per cent below 1990 levels by the year 2030.

The government says it will spend a total of $9 billion over five years to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to decarbonize the economy.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2023.

The Canadian Press