A Mississauga rooftop is at the centre of a made-in-Peel climate innovation, after Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) received $500,000 from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund.
The funding, announced August 18, has supported the installation and ongoing performance monitoring of Canada’s first smart blue roof certified as compliant with Canadian Standards Association requirements, according to a Credit Valley Conservation media release.
The system sits on the flat roof of CVC’s administrative office in Mississauga. It uses real-time controls to manage rainwater, cutting stormwater runoff, supporting evaporative cooling and lowering both energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
The project was delivered in partnership with the City of Mississauga and the Peel Region Office of Climate Change. CVC says the goal is to show how the technology can be scaled onto industrial, commercial and institutional buildings across the country.
The roof has already faced a major test. During the flooding that struck the Greater Toronto Area in July 2024, the system delivered 100 per cent peak flow control and eliminated rooftop runoff during the storm, according to the release.
“Municipalities are facing growing climate pressures,” Terri LeRoux, Chief Administrative Officer of Credit Valley Conservation, said in the release. “With support from the Government of Canada through FCM’s Green Municipal Fund, CVC is advancing innovative infrastructure that helps communities better manage stormwater, reduce emissions and builds long-term resilience.”
Peel Region says the project advances the “Be Prepared” outcomes of its Climate Change Master Plan.
“Peel is pleased to see CVC receive funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund for this innovative infrastructure,” Christine Tu, Director of Climate Change and Energy Management for Peel Region, said. “The Smart Blue Roof advances the Be Prepared outcomes of Peel Region’s Climate Change Master Plan and helps build a resilient Community for Life for all residents in Peel.”
The head of the funding organization said the project is a model for other communities facing heavier and more frequent storms.
“The increasing frequency and severity of extreme rainfall events have put communities like Peel Region at risk,” Tim Tierney, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, said. “This project shows how communities can stay safe when facing severe storms and flooding. This practical innovation builds the climate resilience we need.”
Mississauga—Streetsville MP Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), said the technology strengthens the area’s resilience to extreme weather while reducing emissions and improving water management.
CVC says the project will create new technical and permitting pathways for rooftop rainwater storage and reuse. Findings will be shared with municipalities, developers and permitting agencies, and results will be distributed through training, workshops and academic partnerships to encourage wider adoption across Canada.
The conservation authority, established by the Ontario government in 1954, protects and restores the natural environment of the Credit River watershed, which spans much of Peel.
Residents can see the system for themselves. CVC offers guided tours of the smart blue roof, showcasing rainwater storage, treatment and the system’s active controls. Tour bookings and project updates are available at cvc.ca/SmartBlueRoof.
