Winnipeg’s Water, Waste, and Environment Committee has greenlighted a $95-million contract with Red River Biosolids Partners to design and develop a biosolids facility for the North End Sewage Treatment Plant to transform partially-treated sludge from all three of the city’s wastewater treatment plants into nutrient-rich fertilizer.
The development phase contract for Red River Biosolids Partners is a joint venture between Aecon Water Infrastructure Inc., Oscar Renda Contracting of Canada Inc., and MWH Constructors Canada Ltd. The contract is part of the lead-up to construction work expected to cost $900 million for the Winnipeg biosolids facility.
“Upgrades to accept, store, treat, and stabilize the sludge produced from the treatment of wastewater into reusable biosolids is required to meet the city’s growth requirements and the regulatory deadline of December 31, 2030,” states a July 18 report from Winnipeg’s Water, Waste, and Environment Committee.
Winnipeg officials hosted several closed-door meetings to finalize their decision on the contract, which also underwent a social procurement evaluation, and received input from a fairness advisor who monitored the entire procurement process to ensure transparency.
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Numerous discussions by local officials have focused on the risk of Manitobans losing out to those outside the province on the employment potential to create and operate the facility.
The construction portion of the biosolids facility contract has yet to be awarded. More than $900 million remains available from the total funding Winnipeg has reserved for the creation of the biosolids facility.
