Petrolia residents and groups planning environmental initiatives are being encouraged to apply for this year's Green Leader grant program.
The Town of Petrolia has again partnered with Waste Management Canada to fund local projects related to three pillars: environmental conservation, environmental education, and community vitality.
Director of Marketing, Arts, and Communications Laurissa Ellsworth said up to $15,000 is available.
"[The committee] either divides it among viable projects or they sometimes have given it to one project if it's something that aligns with all three pillars," Ellsworth said.
"The committee seems to lean toward projects that educate young people so that as they come up through the ranks and grow into adults, they have a good foundation of understanding how to respect our environment and take care of the things we have," she said.
Ellsworth said past successful projects have also focused on reducing potential environmental issues.
"An example is the Petrolia Discovery," said Ellsworth. "They needed some well repairs done so [the committee] funded that one year to make sure that there was no issue environmentally, although there wasn't, the potential was there if the repair didn't take place."
Grant applications will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on March 30. The online form can be found on the town's website.
Successful applicants will be announced on Earth Day, which is on April 22.
