The City of Vancouver has issued its first green bond offering of $85 million to fund environmentally sustainable initiatives and projects, while offering investors competitive returns.
“The City of Vancouver has set out an ambitious plan to be the greenest city in the world by 2020, and we have made big strides on a number of fronts. Green bonds offer an environmental and social investment tool that will support the City’s efforts to build sustainable infrastructure for many generations to come,” said Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson on Wednesday.
Under the City’s Green Bond Framework, net proceeds from green bonds will be used to finance Council-approved capital projects that support the City’s commitment to positive environmental goals, social responsibility, and economic development across our communities.
Eligible capital projects include investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, clean transportation, pollution prevention and control, sustainable water and wastewater management, and environmentally sustainable management of living natural resources.
Some of the projects that were approved in the City’s capital plans and are to be funded by the green bond include a new Net Zero Energy fire hall that will be Passive House and LEED Gold (v4) certified; Roddan Lodge redevelopment that will contribute to Downtown Eastside housing targets by providing more than 200 social housing units, reducing energy use from natural gas and electricity, and reductions in GHG emissions and water consumption; and Neighbourhood Energy Utility, a system which enables recycling of waste heat sources in the community and secures 100 per cent renewable energy outcomes for buildings connected to the system. Environmental benefits include significant GHG reductions for new building developments in the False Creek area.
The City’s inaugural $85 million green bond pays a 3.10 per cent coupon interest rate and matures on September 21, 2028.
Source Voice Online