St-Pierre-Jolys, Manitoba – When the Path to Sustainability Leads to Funding Opportunities

Source: Carl Duivenvoorden | · QUEST · | June 25, 2025

How do you reduce energy consumption, save money and access funding more easily? If you’re a village like St-Pierre-Jolys, Manitoba, you find partners like Eco-West Canada and QUEST Canada who have the tools and resources you need to stretch your dollars and staff hours, and make things happen.

Tina Bubenzer is the Chief Administrative Officer of the village of 1,300 residents located just south of Winnipeg. She’s one of only three office staff, so there’s a lot on her plate – including advancing the community’s sustainability initiatives.

“St-Pierre-Jolys completed a Climate Change Local Action Plan about a decade ago,” she recalls, “but it stalled before much got done.”

That happened for a variety of reasons: lack of funding; lack of resources in the small municipality; and lack of support in the community and on council.

“It had an ambitious Vision and Mission, but perhaps it was a bit before its time.”

One other reason also factored in. “Not everyone understands the benefits of efficiency; some people perceive efficiency upgrades as costs rather than investments in future savings, so it can be a hard sell.”

That has sensitized Tina to the need to always demonstrate and communicate clear benefits when proposing sustainability actions. It’s a lens she brings to two constant priorities: complementing that past Local Action Plan with a near-future Community Energy and Emissions Plan, and at the same time, overseeing the development of a new community recreation and wellness complex.