New funding for ventilation improvement projects:

Eligible Expenses

Eligible projects will improve ventilation in public infrastructure assets that:

• Serve populations that are more susceptible to poor outcomes if they contract COVID-19 (e.g. long term care homes, friendship centers, shelters)
• With high occupancies (e.g. schools, congregate living housing)
• Where activities take place that are at higher risk of infectious aerosol particle generation (e.g. recreation or sports centers)
• Remain open through lockdown, or are the last to close when restrictions are increased, in order to continue to provide services (e.g. Libraries, buildings used as emergency shelters)
• Have been identified by public health authorities as higher risk for outbreaks based on local conditions

The following program requirements will apply to this funding:

• Project size, cost-sharing requirements, and completion deadlines will follow the COVID-19 Resilience stream, as described above.
• Project costs for ventilation improvement projects are retroactively eligible for funding and will apply to any eligible expenditures incurred after December 1, 2020. This is a time-limited parameter that applies to projects approved by March 31, 2022.
• Projects in schools will not be eligible to use the new funding of $70 million as federal funding support is being provided specifically for schools through the Safe Return to Class Fund.