Viking town Council delays passing borrowing bylaw for solar project

Although the town’s application for funding to help with its solar micro generation project has been approved, council has decided to delay passing the necessary interim borrowing bylaw. Town of Viking CAO Don McLeod told council Aug. 19 that MCCAC has approved a grant of $786,000 for the town’s solar program, which would use solar powered panels to power up town-owned facilities.

MCCAC stands for Municipal Climate Change Action Centre.

The town just made it under the wire in the approval process, said McLeod, noting that the province intends to cancel the energy rebate program started by the previous NDP government. He said the funding will be forthcoming if approved projects are completed as specified.

The town’s solar project is set for a completion date of Jan. 31, 2020. McLeod said the MCCAC guidelines guarantee the funds for eight months after the approval date. After that, “it goes to someone else,” he said.

Under the Municipal Government Act, council can pass a bylaw to provide interim financing for a capital project. The financing cannot be longer than five years to pay back.

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Patricia Harcourt
Editor