The governments of Canada and Quebec mark the start of construction of biomethanation facilities of the Societe d'economie mixte de l'est de la couronne sud (SEMECS)

VARENNES, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Dec. 19, 2016) - The governments of Canada and Quebec are committed to combating climate change and fostering cleaner economic growth through green infrastructure projects. Officials of the governments of Canada and Quebec came to Varennes today to break ground, marking the start of construction of the biomethanation facilities of the Société d'économie mixte de l'est de la couronne sud (SEMECS).

The Government of Canada was represented by Michel Picard, Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and Member of Parliament for Montarville, while the Government of Quebec was represented by the David Heurtel, Minister of Sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, and by the Lucie Charlebois, Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection, Public Health and Healthy Living and Minister responsible for the Montérégie Region.

The SEMECS project will facilitate the treatment of organic waste generated by residents of the regional county municipalities (MRCs) of La Vallée-du-Richelieu, Marguerite-D'Youville and Rouville. The new biomethanation facilities will be able to efficiently reclaim organic material from various sources and convert it into renewable fuel, i.e. biogas.

Once purified, the biogas will be used as fuel for the Quebec GreenField Ethanol Inc. refinery, and will replace a portion of the natural gas that the company uses in its processes. In addition, farmers who sell their crops to the refinery will be able to use the digestate produced in the biomethanation process as an organic amendment. Local residents will be able to have their food waste, green waste and septic tank sludge treated by local firms rather than having it sent for disposal.

This biomethanation project demonstrates the synergy created through the implementation of green technology, which will contribute to the fight against climate change and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while at the same time producing energy and fertilizer.

Quotes

"Our government recognizes the importance of providing communities with access to investments in infrastructure. Along with our regional partners, we are committed to making sure they obtain the support they need to build sustainable communities. We are making investments that will improve the quality of people's lives, contribute to economic growth and establish a strong middle class."

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"The Government of Canada is proud to join with the Government of Quebec to support the construction of this green infrastructure in Varennes. Projects such as this one generate significant benefits for the environment, in particular, by contributing to the fight against climate change."

Michel Picard, parliamentary secretary for the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and Member of Parliament for Montarville, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"I am pleased to participate today in the initial ground-breaking ceremony marking the start of construction of biomethanation facilities here in Varennes. This project will eventually divert 35,000 tonnes of organic matter from disposal in landfills each year. Through the construction of this green infrastructure, organic matter can now be converted into biogas and digestate, which will promote economic development, while directly helping to achieve our objectives in the fight against climate change. This project proves that, working together, we can move forward so that our children can grow up in a lean and green society. Let's do it for them!"

David Heurtel, Minister of Sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change

"Healthy waste management is everyone's concern. The work carried out thus far to establish a biomethanation plant serving these three MRCs is a fine example of that. I am happy to see this project take shape in the Montérégie Region, where the economic benefits will have a positive impact not only on local residents' quality of life, but also on the local economy."

Lucie Charlebois, Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection, Public Health and Healthy Living and Minister responsible for the Montérégie Region

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada is committed to investing up to $16.2 million from the Green Infrastructure Fund to build the biomethanation facilities of the Société d'économie mixte de l'est de la couronne sud.
• The Government du Québec is contributing up to $14.3 million to this project under the Program for Processing Organic Matter Using Biomethanization and Composting (PTMOBC).
• The governments of Canada and Quebec are investing up to $30.5 million in this project, the total estimated cost of which is $57.8 million.

Related Links

To find out more about the Green Infrastructure Fund, go to www.infrastructure.gc.ca/prog/gif-fiv-eng.html.

To find out more about federal investment in infrastructure in your region, go to http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/regions/regions-eng.html.

Federal investment in Quebec infrastructure projects: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/index-eng.html.

For further information about the program for processing organic matter using biomethanization and composting (PTMOBC), go to www.mddelcc.gouv.qc.ca/programmes/biomethanisation (in French only).

To learn more about the Quebec Residual Materials Management Policy, go to http://www.mddelcc.gouv.qc.ca/matieres/mat_res-en/.

The Government of Canada's $180 billion-plus infrastructure plan: http://www.budget.gc.ca/fes-eea/2016/docs/themes/infrastructure-en.html

Twitter: @INFC_eng

Website: Infrastructure Canada