The Accelerating Circularity in Construction Materials (ACCM) offer provides grants through the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) for feasibility studies that help municipalities strengthen source separation practices for construction, renovation and demolition (CRD) waste and advance circularity through increased recovery, sorting, storing, reusing and recycling. Studies may also address CRD waste prevention, reduction, repair, refurbishment, repurposing and remanufacturing.

The program is administered by FCM's Green Municipal Fund and funded by the Government of Canada. It combines grant funding with a two-year peer-learning support program designed to help recipient municipal staff improve project outcomes, build skills and knowledge in the circular economy construction sector, and connect with other municipalities working on similar challenges.

What the Study Should Cover:

Studies must assess the current CRD waste landscape and evaluate the viability of solutions to divert CRD waste. The following elements should be addressed:

• Quantities of CRD waste by source and category, including data collection and management processes
• Infrastructure, equipment, and logistics requirements, including transportation, regulatory, and permitting considerations
• Site considerations, such as location options and social acceptability
• Governance models
• Potential partners, such as other municipalities, private-sector organizations, and relevant municipal departments
• Policies and other tools, including bylaws, RFPs, procurement practices, incentives, roadmaps, waste management plans, and deconstruction audits
• Potential markets and end uses for recovered or processed CRD materials
• Environmental impacts, including expected GHG reductions and diversion rates
• Communications and capacity-building needs, such as awareness activities, outreach materials, and training

Studies may also include an assessment of infrastructure options required to support increased CRD waste diversion, such as:

• Circular drop-off centres
• Reuse, repair, value-added production, and storage centres
• Resale centres
• Logistics hubs for transportation and container storage
• CRD transfer stations or temporary depot sites
• CRD material recovery facilities
• CRD recycling facilities serving specific or multiple CRD material categories

Municipal Commitment Required:

Applications must demonstrate that the proposed project reflects a municipal commitment or forms part of an existing or planned municipal strategy (e.g., identified in a municipal waste management plan, a circular economy roadmap, and/or an approved or proposed council resolution).

Selection Preferences:

Preference is given to initiatives that:

• Include the development of construction waste policies and an operationalization strategy
• Address diverse construction waste sources (e.g., new construction, renovation, selective deconstruction, curb collection/bulky waste, waste drop-off centres, disaster-related debris)
• Address as many diversion strategies as possible (e.g., waste prevention, recovery, sorting, keeping products and materials in use, recycling)
• Prioritize source-separation approaches
• Assess existing and required infrastructure, equipment, and transportation logistics
• Are led by a multidisciplinary team representing key departments (e.g., waste management, environment, land use planning, public works, economic development, legal, finance, communications)
• Are conducted in collaboration with key implementation partners (e.g., private-sector organizations, other municipalities, non-profits, chambers of commerce, academic institutions)
• Develop municipal skills and favour a municipal culture of construction waste recovery and diversion