Biosolids facility project recognized for its innovation

The City of Greater Sudbury and its partner, N-Viro, received a national award from the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) for the new biosolids management facility.

The project will be presented with the Chuck Wills Award for Innovation & Excellence in Municipal Public-Private Partnerships in a ceremony being held today in Toronto. The annual CCPPP awards recognize outstanding Canadian public-private partnerships (P3) in the areas of project financing, service delivery, and infrastructure.

“This has been a complex project from Day 1 and the first project of its kind in Canada,” said Mayor Marianne Matichuk. “I’m pleased to see city staff and council recognized for their perseverance and hard work on this much-needed and valued project. I especially wish to thank my colleagues, councillors Joe Cimino and Jacques Barbeau, for their longtime commitment to making this project a reality.”

The biosolids management facility, which has been in the works for several years, is the city's first public-private partnership. The city has contracted with N-Viro, a Canadian-owned consortium, to design, build, maintain and operate the facility for a period of 20 years. Full ownership of the facility will remain with the city.

The Government of Canada has committed to contributing up to $11 million through the P3 Canada Fund to support the new biosolids management facility project.

The joint submission by the city and N-Viro to the national awards program highlighted the project’s innovative approach and commitment to environmental sustainability, as well as the benefits the project will bring to the community.

“This project is a prime example of how small- and medium-sized Canadian entities can play a lead role in small- and medium-sized P3s in Canada, projects that are essential in serving the needs of the public and private sectors,” said Rob Sampson, president of N-Viro. “The City of Greater Sudbury displayed great vision and determination in finding a financially responsible and environmentally sustainable solution to the challenge of dealing with their biosolid waste.”

The facility will provide a leading edge sustainable solution to the management and disposal of biosolids while at the same time providing effective use of taxpayer dollars. Undertaken as a public-private partnership, the project is anticipated to achieve value-for-money of $11.1 million.

Construction on the biosolids management facility began immediately following financial and commercial close, achieved on June 13, 2013. The contracted completion date is May 15, 2015.