To be located next to waste water treatment plant in St-François
Published February 10 , 2010
By Martin C. Barry • TLN
Photo: Martin C. Barry
“Citizens are ready to make efforts to preserve their quality
of life,” says Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt.
The City of Laval plans to have a $121.3 million biofuel plant using organic waste up and running within the next three years, thanks to more than $200 million in aid presented by the federal and provincial governments to the major municipalities of the Montreal region. Construction of the Laval plant, which starts next year, would be a major step towards transforming local garbage collection, by effectively doing away with landfill which has been the mainstay of waste disposal until now.
Another bin coming
However, residents would have another bin to deal with — a brown one — in addition to the big blue receptacle they are already expected to have for recycling of solids, and the trash can for disposal of garbage. Laval, the City of Montreal and the City of Longueuil are the principal partners in the plan to launch a large-scale organic waste collection to make productive use of kitchen leftovers for fertilizer in gardens.
The material could also be converted to fuel that could be used to power vehicles. Laval hopes to take in millions of dollars from the sale of gas generated by the new biofuel plant, as well as additional revenue from the sale of compost produced there. During a press conference held on Feb. 1, the federal and provincial governments gave the cities more than $215 million to build the treatment plants.
Methane for buses
While Ottawa and Quebec are giving Laval $64.4 million, Laval will be spending nearly $60 million of its own money. The Laval facility will be located next to the existing La Pinière waste water treatment plant in the district of Saint-François. Around 115,000 tonnes of organic materials will be treated there yearly, producing 7 million square metres of methane that could power buses owned by the Société de Transport de Laval.
“Citizens are ready to make efforts to preserve their quality of life, and this environmental revolution which is underway is the product of social concerns which are rooted in major issues in our society,” said Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt, who is also chairman of the regional Montreal Metropolitan Community. “Thanks to this agreement with the governments of Canada and of Quebec, we are more than ever united and committed to this great and irreversible global trend, which is that of protecting the environment while preparing the best possible future for future generations.”
Photo: Martin C. Barry
Sustainable Development Minister Line Beauchamp
Environment and jobs
Quebec Conservative MP Steven Blaney, who has a background in environmental engineering and urban infrastructure, said the announcement of the project, which is worth a total of $559 million for the entire Montreal region, confirms his government’s commitment to harmonize environmental preoccupations with economic imperatives. “These green biomethanization projects being implemented in the greater Montreal region will stimulate the economy and create employment for Quebecers, while encouraging a healthier and greener environment,” he said.
Line Beauchamp, the Quebec Liberal Minister for Sustainable Development, said the composting plants would not only create employment, but would also help the provincial government attain objectives set out in an “action plan” to deal with climate change. Quebec plans to ban the disposal of garbage in landfills within the next 10 years. “Today we are taking an important step towards creating a society without waste, more carbon-conscious, towards an economy that is greener,” said Beauchamp.
A ‘green city’: Tremblay
“The big challenge for the coming years will without any doubt be to make Montreal a green city,” said Montreal mayor Gérald Tremblay, adding that this was one of the pledges he made leading up to last November’s municipal election. “The implemetation of such infrastructure is essential to our reaching our goals, while optimizing our performance in the reduction of greenhouse gas.” Montreal is receiving $67.1 million from the federal government and $68.5 million from Quebec. The city will be paying $79.9 million, although the burden of the expense will be shared by all the municipalities that are members of the Montreal Agglomeration.