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Members York Regional Council, including Wayne Emmerson, York Region Chairman and CEO, Virginia Hackson, Mayor of the Town of East Gwillimbury, and Iain Lovatt, Mayor of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, attended the ceremonial groundbreaking of the future site of a new state-of-the-art Convertus biofuel facility that will convert organic waste into renewable natural gas or biofuel. In January 2023, Regional Council approved a 20-year contract with Convertus to process York Region’s curbside household green bin materials locally. The contract award was completed through a competitive process and Convertus was selected based on industry leading waste processing practices and their ongoing commitment to protect the environment and encourage sustainability across our communities. Convertus will design, build, own and operate a state-of-the-art Biofuel Facility that converts organic waste into Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) approved fertilizer and renewable natural gas. “On behalf of York Regional Council and The Regional Municipality of York, today marks a significant achievement as we secure a local and cost-effective long-term processing solution for green bin materials,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson. “York Region remains steadfast in our vision of a world where nothing goes to waste, setting a strong example for communities and ensuring a sustainable future for our residents.” The new Biofuel Facility will be located adjacent to York Region’s Material Recovery and Transfer Facility at 100 Garfield Wright Boulevard in the Town of East Gwillimbury. This facility will process up to 165,000 tonnes of green bin waste per year when fully operational in 2027, meeting the Region’s processing needs until 2047. “Today’s groundbreaking is a major achievement not just for Convertus and York Region, but for the future of sustainable waste management in Ontario. With the support of Bird Construction and GHD Engineering, we are not only building a world-class waste facility but laying the foundation for a low-carbon future,” said Mike Leopold, CEO of Convertus. As York Region’s population grows, so will the amount of organic waste generated by residents. York Region has secured local, environmentally sustainable, and cost-effective long-term processing capacity for green bin materials to address this anticipated growth. Currently, York Region transports its green bin material to three separate processing facilities across Ontario, traveling between 160 to 360 kilometres. The new local facility will eliminate the need for long-distance transportation, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The facility will employ advanced odour control technologies and will produce enough renewable natural gas to heat up to 5,000 homes in York Region annually. Residents will not experience any changes to the current curbside green bin program and accepted materials will remain the same. Mississauga-based Bird Construction will lead construction of the facility, while Toronto-based GHD Engineering leads engineering and environmental. “Bird is proud to work with Convertus to deliver the York Biofuel Facility,” said Teri McKibbon, President & CEO of Bird Construction. “This is the first biofuel project in Canada to be executed under an IPD model, representing a noteworthy addition to our portfolio of collaborative contracts. The project aligns with Bird’s values to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to Canadians.” “In an era where energy transition is so important, GHD is proud to be a key contributor to the development of a facility that not only produces significant amounts of renewable natural gas but does so using sustainable innovations and approaches,” said Gidda, VP and global leader in future energy for GHD. “I believe that this facility will be looked upon as an example of what is possible when processing organics, and how to effectively integrate waste and energy solutions. This is a made-in-Ontario success story that will serve as an exemplary model for the industry going forward.” |
