KAGAWONG—Billings Township officials will be meeting with representatives of Waste Energy Solutions and Technologies (WEST) to discuss exact details as to what exactly would be required by the township if they agree to be a participating site in the WEST proposal.
WEST is proposing an efficient, environmentally friendly, non-combustible, waste-to-energy conversion technology capable of processing the municipality’s solid waste. The company is in the process of developing a waste-to-energy facility at a neighbouring location, Gordon/Barrie Island, which is capable of processing the municipality’s solid waste at a fixed cost.
“We think this is a good idea,” said Billings Mayor Bryan Barker after a council meeting last week, and a request for support of the project proposal from WEST.
“Before we (council) got into a discussion on the request from WEST I indicated that I had spoke to Mathieu Gagnon of WEST last Sunday and I suggested to him that we should meet with our CAO Veronique Dion, project manager Todd Gordon, waste project coordinator Arthur Moran and myself, so that Mr. Gagnon could outline what exactly they are asking of the township and staff can provide questions,” the mayor explained. “Then a report would be drafted by township staff and we could present this to council at our next meeting.” He said the meeting with Mr. Gagnon could take place as soon as this week.
At a June meeting council had brought up several concerns with the WEST proposal, one being as to what, if any, costs the township would need to contribute, the details of their proposal and ensuring no waste is being transferred from off-Island to the proposed site on the Island. WEST had ensured the township previously that the only thing Billings would have to provide for the new waste system is garbage waste.
