Council gives their go for the waste to energy project on Bloomfield Road in Chatham.
Council voted 14 to 4 in favour of moving ahead with entering a public-private partnership with Greenfield Global to build an anaerobic digester at 175 Bloomfield Road.
“We told staff be innovative, come back with some revenue streams and they did,” said Councillor Marjorie Crew.
“It’s really refreshing to have something that for generations to come, and families in our futures that probably won’t even be around while they are still getting the benefit of this investment in our community is really heartwarming to me.”
In development from 2021, the plant will process industrial organic waste and turn it into renewable natural gas and fertilizer. Under the approved agreement, the $160 million waste to energy facility will see the municipality invest $16 million out of the existing Investment Portfolio, Greenfield Global will provide , $24 million, $60 million will come from upper-level government funding, with a debt at $60 million.
“We have the perfect opportunity that we live in a significant agriculture community that has access to lots of corn. We have an amazing partner with Greenfield Ethanol that is in very close proximity to our treatment site,” said Councillor Anthony Ceccacci.
“This is not an opportunity that a lot of communities have. And I think that it balances into a perfect opportunity for us to capitalize on this for long term sustainability, not just for our municipality but for the rate payers in our community.”
Councillors Alysson Storey, Michael Bondy, Rhonda Jubenville and Amy Finn voted against the motion. Ward 6 Councillor Bondy took to social media before the meeting voicing his concerns on the lack of transparency. A sentiment Councillor Storey echoed in council chambers.
“Overall I know we have received a lot of information but we haven’t included the public as effectively in that process as I think we could,” said Storey.
“I do think it’s problematic when we bypass the tax payer input.”
Councillor Storey put forth a motion to push the decision to a later date, asking for transparency on how tax payer dollars are going to be spent. The ward 6 representative’s motion wanted public information sessions with Deloitte and Greenfield Global, and a special council meeting before making a decision, which failed 14 to 4.
“I always will go for more public consultation and more engagement with our citizens than less, it’s not a delay tactic, it’s genuinely what I believe in,” said Storey. “We didn’t do what we normally do for public consultation.”
Councillors Carmen McGregor and Melissa Harrigan asked that the Let’s Talk Page for the project remain active to avoid further misinformation and provide transparency.
“I think as a counsellor is it very easy for me to share that link and that information over and then appreciate and redirect people to sources of truth. And I think if we can do that as a council, then perhaps some of the concerns that we are hearing on social media can be mitigated a little bit as well,” said Harrigan.
In their report to council, administration, using a conservative model, estimated that over the next 30 years over $123 million of dividends will be realized.
“This is not a gamble, this is strategic,” said Harrigan.
“Revenue options for municipalities are limited. And this is one that is very well thought out and will result in revenue for this municipality. And I think we as counselors are obligated to think about these creative opportunities.”
The facility is expected to eliminate the need for roughly $25 million in capital costs for the Chatham-Kent PUC, offset property taxes and generate 30 new jobs.
“There is an economic spin off that we can see directly from this project and I am excited to see what that brings as a benefit,” said Harrigan.
Greenfield Global Inc. has scheduled a special Board meeting on May 7 to decide whether to approve moving forward with the project. If approved, and all remaining conditions and government funding approvals are finalized, construction is expected to begin later this year, with the plant anticipated to be operational by 2028.
