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“We fully expect to see others knocking on our door very soon,” said Hepner.

It is expected that the facility will also produce about 45,000 tonnes of compost each year, which is suitable for gardening and agricultural purposes, and will be used in city parks and boulevards.

Surrey’s greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by about 49,000 tonnes per year, according to the city, the equivalent of taking 10,000 cars off the road. The city’s corporate carbon footprint is 17,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year.

The project was financed by a public-private partnership, that saw the federal government kick in 25 per cent of the capital costs ($17 million) and Renewi has financed the rest. The United Kingdom-based company designed and built the facility, and will operate and maintain it for 25 years. The city owns the facility and the land upon which it was built.

“This is now one of P3 Canada’s flagship projects,” said Ken Hardie, MP for Fleetwood-Port Kells.

Photo by Francis Georgian / PNG

Rob Costanzo, the city’s general manager of corporate services, said the city is repaying Renewi through tipping fees that will be charged for each load of organic waste that is dumped at the facility. Hepner said the disposal rate is within current market rates and is locked in for 25 years.

Those fees are balanced by natural gas sales. The city will own 100 per cent of the natural gas produced at the facility, and whatever the city does not use to power its fleet or energy system, it will sell to Fortis B.C. Hepner said it is the first agreement of its kind with Fortis in B.C., and any money made will go back to the city.