The Town of Petrolia will get getting $10,000 in grant money for two environmental projects as part of a grant program it runs with Waste Management.

The town and WM announced the winners of Green Leader Program Monday on Earth Day. WM contributes $15,000 for projects which “build sustainable communities” and “encourage community engagement.

A committee of community members look over the applications and grade each
application and rank the applications with assigned dollar value
recommendations. “Waste Management and the Town of Petrolia would like to thank our volunteers for their assistance in the selection of this year’s recipients,” said Petrolia’s Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities, Jule Bullock in a news release.

The town will receive $7,000 to install low-flow washroom features, motion-activated faucets, LED lighting and motion-activated lighting to reduce energy consumption and water use at the new Petrolia 150 Legacy Bandshell project.

The municipality is also receiving $3,000 for an Indigenous Friendship Garden next to the band shell. It will feature orange plants and flowers and a stone with a land recognition message.

Three other groups are also receiving grants;

• Petrolia Discovery will receive $3,000 to build a hedgerow of native trees and shrubs on the north perimeter to stop soil erosion and reduce surface water runoff

• The Kiwanis Club of Petrolia will expand its preschool gardening project, supplying more seeds and a rain barrel to the three year old project with its $1,000 grant

• Generations Daycare will use $1,000 to create a multi-generational nature garden to conserve butterflies and native insects.

The program has been running since 2020.