Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter
The provincial government is investing over $83,000 in the municipalities of Howick, Saint-Anicet, and Sainte-Barbe for the purchase of residential organic waste collection equipment.
The MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville and the MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry will also benefit from significant funding through the Programme de traitement des matières organiques par biométhanisation et compostage (PTMOBC), which is part of Quebec’s Stratégie de valorisation de la matière organique (SVMO).
A section of the PTMOBC program was designed to provide financial support to municipalities, Aboriginal communities, and the private sector for the acquisition of collection equipment to recover organic matter through composting or biomethanization. To date, the government has provided financial backing for 82 projects, bringing the total contribution to nearly $13.3 million.
The municipality of Saint-Anicet received $40,403 to help provide 1,800 organic waste or compost collection bins to residents. The financing covers almost half of the projected cost of $88,494. The municipality of Howick will receive up to $17,654 to acquire 354 bins. The municipality of Sainte-Barbe will now be able to offer residential organic waste collection to 959 households throughout its territory, thanks to an investment of $25,045.
The MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville will receive $77,048 towards the acquisition of 11,366 bins, of which the total cost is estimated at $395,186. A funding request by the MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry was approved for $575,241; this will go towards the purchase of 23,635 bins at an estimated total cost of $2,047,300.
When combined, this new equipment will allow for the collection of an estimated 13,888 tonnes of organic material or compost per year, which includes 578 tonnes between the three municipalities in the Haut-Saint-Laurent.
“Today, we know that reducing greenhouse gas emissions from landfill sites is an effective way of combatting climate change,” said Benoit Charette, minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks. In a press release issued by the government confirming the investment in Sainte-Barbe, the minister noted the positive impact of municipal compost programs, and the keen interest expressed by many Quebecers to be helping to find solutions to environmental issues.
Organic waste accounts for around 55 per cent of the 5.8 million tonnes of residual materials disposed of each year in Quebec. The waste sector, which produces some 4.55 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, is the fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the province. The government has set an objective of providing collection services for organic matter across the province by 2025.
“This project is another fine example of the commitment of local people to protecting the environment and playing an active part in the fight against climate change in Quebec,” said Huntingdon MNA Carole Mallette, in reference to the initiative in Sainte-Barbe.
“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a challenge we must all take up together, for our own good and that of future generations,” she added.