Canada, Quebec fund Énercycle organic waste recovery centre

Quebec-based waste manager Énercycle, formerly the Régie de gestion des matières résiduelles de la Mauricie, will have $26 million in government funding to develop its organic waste recovery centre.

Canada and Quebec governments have jointly announced $26.4 million in funding for the Énercycle project, which will divert approximately 35,000 tonnes of organic matter from disposal — equivalent to reducing  greenhouse gas emissions by 3,286 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

“By investing in the construction of organic waste processing centre in the Mauricie region, the Government of Canada is helping to improve the resilience of communities in the face of climate change,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Saint-Maurice ̶Champlain MP and Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, in a press release.

 “Our investments in this infrastructure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions demonstrate our commitment to creating healthy, green and self-sufficient communities.“

Funding will go to construction and operation of the new biomethanization and composting facilities to be built on the landfill in Saint-Étienne-des-Grès. That includes new buildings, developing composting treatment areas, installing a digester and other related equipment.

Once complete, the organic waste recovery centre will service much of the Mauricie region, including the urban cluster of Trois-Rivières and Shawinigan, as well as the RCMs of Mékinac, Maskinongé and Des Chenaux.

The estimated $75.7 million-project will include a connection to a biogas treatment and purification system which will enable biomethane to be injected into the gas network.

A wastewater treatment plant will also be installed. The facility, scheduled for commissioning in fall 2026, will eventually produce over 1.2 million cubic metres of biomethane for injection into Quebec natural gas provider Énergir’s gas network.