Mohawk College says its climate change venture with the cities of Hamilton and Burlington has suffered a blow after Doug Ford's government has decided to pull $2 million in funding.

The Centre for Climate Change Management and specifically the Bay area Climate Change Office is part of an effort to tackle climate change in Hamilton and Burlington. It was launched last year.

The college said Thursday that it will no longer be receiving the $2 million a year that the previous provincial government committed, now that the Ford government has killed the Liberal's climate change action plan.

They are very committed to this, as are we and so we'll find a way forward. - Mohawk President, Ron McKerlie

"It's obviously a blow," Mohawk President, Ron McKerlie told CBC News.

"The project continues on so we will find a way and we're looking for additional partners now not surprisingly."

"The cities of Burlington and Hamilton are strong partners. They are very committed to this, as are we and so we'll find a way forward," said McKerlie.

The office will move to Mohawk's new Joyce Centre for Partnership and Innovation net-zero energy use building slated to open in September. It'll be the largest net-zero energy use building in Canada.

The federal government provided $20 million to have the centre built.

College president & tour guide. Was proud to give Ministers <a href="https://twitter.com/cathmckenna?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cathmckenna</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/FilomenaTassiMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FilomenaTassiMP</a> a preview of <a href="https://twitter.com/MohawkCollege?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mohawkcollege</a>'s Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation - Canada's largest net zero carbon institutional building & our region's first. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hamont?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hamont</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BurlON?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BurlON</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ym6s0iV6gQ">pic.twitter.com/Ym6s0iV6gQ</a> —@ronmckerlie McKerlie says "so naturally we invited them and turned to them when the other senior level of government backed away."

On Thursday the college invited Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger, Burlington mayor Rick Goldring, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, and Liberal MP for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas and newly appointed minister of seniors, Filomena Tassi for a tour of the centre.

Disappointed that the new Ontario government is clawing back support for good projects, like a new climate facility at <a href="https://twitter.com/MohawkCollege?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MohawkCollege</a> for collaboration between <a href="https://twitter.com/cityofhamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cityofhamilton</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/cityburlington?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cityburlington</a>. Jobs and climate leadership both in jeopardy. <a href="https://t.co/TQiAekbODn">pic.twitter.com/TQiAekbODn</a> —@cathmckenna "What's really unfortunate is the Doug Ford government isn't committed to saving folks money because the whole point on taking action on climate change and to build better is to make sure that things are more energy efficient so the money that the provincial government had committed to them is now cut," said McKenna.

The federal government hasn't announced any official plans to fill the new funding gap.

Hamilton and Burlington dedicated to climate

When asked by reporters how the federal government will work with the Ford government on climate, McKenna says they're willing to work with them, and added the province should be taking action.

"You want to save money, you should be supporting energy efficiency programs, you should be supporting buildings like Mohawk College's net-zero building that are creating jobs right here in Hamilton.''

In an emailed statement to CBC News, Ontario Minister of the Environment Rod Phillips said "Our Government was elected on a promise to the people to end the Liberal's cap-and-trade carbon tax and make life more affordable for the people of Ontario."

The statement is in the context of the winding down of the Liberal's climate change action plan.

"GGRA projects were funded by a regressive tax, which we fundamentally disagree with," the statement further read. "We are working on developing a responsible, transparent plan to wind down these programs with a minimal impact on taxpayer dollars."

I made it clear in my meeting this morning with <a href="https://twitter.com/cathmckenna?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cathmckenna</a> that Ontario will never accept the Trudeau Carbon Tax <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/onpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#onpoli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cdnpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cdnpoli</a> <a href="https://t.co/WigYVZhBBE">pic.twitter.com/WigYVZhBBE</a> —@RodPhillips01 "Legislation to this effect will be forthcoming."

Proud to be working directly with <a href="https://twitter.com/cityburlington?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cityburlington</a> Mayor <a href="https://twitter.com/RickGoldring?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RickGoldring</a> to tackle <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClimateChange?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClimateChange</a> and grow the economy and create good jobs. <a href="https://t.co/u4koEALGE4">pic.twitter.com/u4koEALGE4</a> —@cathmckenna When it comes to municipal action, the minister says both Hamilton and Burlington have assumed responsibilities.

"We're seeing the impact of climate change everywhere, but here in Hamilton there's been extreme weather and in Burlington extreme weather events like flooding, and also high temperatures," said McKenna. "So, they want to share best practices to deal with the impact of climate change, but also building better to save money and to work with local businesses."

"So that's really sad because you've got two cities, you've got Mohawk College, you've got local businesses who are all in on climate change and now they're being penalized by a government that doesn't understand the environment and the economy go together."

Hamilton on climate change

Eisenberger told CBC News the province's decision is "disappointing."

"I don't think that this is a good step to take on their behalf. I think climate change is important," said Eisenberger.

"We'll look for other ways of achieving the same thing in the absence of the provincial funding that was previously committed," said the mayor.

Talking climate change and how taking action can save cities and industries money with Enviro Min <a href="https://twitter.com/cathmckenna?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CathMcKenna</a>, our new cabinet minister <a href="https://twitter.com/FilomenaTassiMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FilomenaTassiMP</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BurlOn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BurlOn</a>’s <a href="https://twitter.com/RickGoldring?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RickGoldring</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/MohawkCollege?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MohawkCollege</a>’s <a href="https://twitter.com/ronmckerlie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonMcKerlie</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/CCCMatMohawk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CCCMatMohawk</a>’s Sandi Stride. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClimateAction?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClimateAction</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HamOnt?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HamOnt</a> <a href="https://t.co/CbKqMoar9d">pic.twitter.com/CbKqMoar9d</a> —@FredEisenberger He added the city has committed the staffing component to the project and the resources necessary to set up the office, but what they needed was the additional resources to do the kind of research and consulting work "that needs to happen to come up with some good, long-term recommendations."

Eisenberger says he told the minister this is a replay of the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan that included the province, the federal government and both Burlington and Hamilton that went a long way to cleaning up the harbour water quality and the Randle Reef process.

"We need the same kind of effort on climate change and I'm a believer that this is going to be the major challenge of this generation."