CORNWALL – A biodigester pilot project has asked for a half-load roads exemption for trucking manure.
Green Energy Trading Corporation, an industrial-agriculture company based in South Dundas, is in the process of constructing the first of five pilot project biodigester facilities – and the closest to project completion.
Company president Nick Thurler explained to SDG Counties council November 20 why the company seeks a half-loads road exemption.
“To make this project work, we need 200 tonnes per day to fill the digester, or 1,400 cows,” Thurler said of the manure needs of the biodigester that will begin production on his farm early next year.
He told council that he has 500 dairy cows on his farm, which accounts for two-fifths of the facility’s need. The remaining manure needs will be filled from area farms.
“We’re hoping to haul 32-35 tonnes per load,” Thurler explained. During the spring season, half-load weight restrictions on many SDG Counties and lower-tier municipal roads limit the weight per axle.
SDG Warden Tony Fraser called “half-loads” a misnomer. “It’s less than half-loads, it’s five tonnes per axle,” he said.
Thurler explained that given the expense of trailers the company cannot afford to expand the fleet needed to haul manure to and from the facility during the half-loads season.
“We would have to run 16-18 hours a day in the spring,” Thurler said.
Biodigesters use an organic process that takes manure from farms, processes it to extract the methane gas, and returns the digestant (processed manure) to farmers. Farmers involved with supplying manure receive $4 per tonne, GET hauls the manure, processes it, and returns it to the farmer for use.
Thurler said that once manure goes through a digester, it is 35 per cent more valuable for use on crops and reduces a farm’s use of commercial fertilizer. Manure sources are not exclusive to dairy operations. Any manure can be used.
Farms involved with GET also receive a dividend based on the sale of the Renewable Natural Gas.
GET has partnered with a company from Denmark and GFL for its pilot project. GFL provided $56 million in capital towards the projects.
“We’re hoping to build 300 digesters across Canada by around 2030,” Thurler said. “We have the next 30 farms ready to sign up with us.”
He continued that there are 175 farms ready to sign up to supply manure, and the company is in the process of raising capital for the next 30 digesters.
“This aligns with Federal Ministry of Agriculture Green Agriculture Plan,” he said. “This program is for farmers, by farmers.”
Councillor Francis Landry (North Stormont) said he was unsure how an exemption would work as it involved township and county roads.
Councillor Martin Lang (South Glengarry) was supportive of an exemption of some sorts.
“I don’t know if you’d have to work with staff for specific routes or possibly three-quarter loads would work for you. If we could investigate it, I hope we can work with you to find a way to do this,” said Lang.
Councillor Jason Broad (South Dundas) was supportive of working with Thurler and echoed the need for the lower and upper tier governments to work on the issue.
“We need a partnership to have this all aligned,” Broad said.
Warden Fraser spoke of the struggles all rural municipalities have dealing with load restrictions on rural roads.
“Agriculture is our industry and we restrict our industry for six weeks a year,” Fraser said. “Times are changing and our agricultural industry is growing at a rapid pace. We are lagging across the province in supporting ag.”
No exemption was granted at the meeting, however discussions will continue at a staff level in the coming months.
Also at SDG Counties council…
Entrance widening for McIntosh Inn
CORNWALL – SDG Counties council approved a deviation to its entrance bylaw to allow the two entrances at the McIntosh Inn in Morrisburg to be widened.
Councillors heard from the Transportation Department at their November 20 meeting that the property owner, Tom Morrow, had asked for the two property entrances off County Road 2 be widened to allow larger vehicles to enter and exit the property.
The department recommended against the exemption as their traffic evidence did not support the changes. The entrances are currently eight metres wide, Morrow wanted the entrances widened to 11-12 metres wide.
“This is an important hotel and conference centre in SDG, in fact it is the only one,” said councillor Jason Broad (South Dundas). “We see throughout the area much wider entrances to many businesses so it would be consistent with other businesses in our municipality.”
Several other councillors spoke out in favour of allowing for the exemption as others have been granted in areas like St. Andrews West. The business will be responsible for the cost of initially replacing the culverts to widen the entrances. Any subsequent replacement involved with repairs to CR 2 will be the responsibility of SDG Counties.
Council unanimously approved granting the exemption for the business.
OPP policing agreement renewed
CORNWALL – The policing contract between SDG Counties and the Ontario Provincial Police has been renewed for another one year term.
The five year agreement initially was set to expire in December 2022, however council extended the agreement in late 2022 for one year. Council approved an additional one year extension at its November 20 meeting. The new agreement will expire on December 31, 2024.
The move is seen as a stop-gap measure while rural municipalities await the implementation of the Community Safety and Policing Act (2019). That legislation, once it comes into force, will terminate what is known as Section 10 contracts. Section 10 deals with municipal police contracts which are overseen by a municipal police board. Under the legislation, municipal boards will be dissolved and new detachment boards created.
The province has not finished developing the regulations required to implement the CSPA. That process is expected to be completed by Summer 2024.
Council approved the agreement extension without discussion.
Riverside Snowmobile Club lease
CORNWALL – The lease between SDG Counties and the Riverside Snowmobile Club for the clubhouse located in the Riverside-Whitney Forest has been renewed.
Council approved renewing the five-year lease for 2024-28. The lease covers a 1.7 acre piece of land within the forest that the clubhouse is on. The building was built in 1987 under an agreement with then forest owner Domtar Paper Products.
The annual rent in 2024 for the building will be $1,100 and increase to $1,200 by 2028.