GORDON—While the majority of about 40 people who attended a public meeting/presentation by WEST (Waste Energy) raised concerns with the proposal to build an advanced waste recovery plant on property that abuts the current transfer station located on Highway 542, at least two people voiced their support of the proposal.
“Unless I don’t understand the process, I wish this process was available to municipalities 35 years ago,” stated Peter Spadzinski, at a public meeting last week. “It provides the municipality a level of security for getting rid of its waste. It is a great system if it works the way you describe. It will be cost efficient and effective in getting rid of the township waste.”
“As was discussed at the last council meeting, the local municipalities could be held hostage with Dodge Haulage Landfill in Espanola closing soon,” said Heather Jefkins. “If your (WEST) proposal handles all our waste, and at some point the contract with the municipalities ends, you could then charge what you like for taking the garbage materials.”
| Read our related story: |
| • Gordon/Barrie Island citizens concerned at location of proposed ‘advanced waste recovery plant’ (2025) |
“The proposal is for a 20-year fixed contract,” said Mathieu Gagnon, chief executive officer and founder of WEST. “We would be happy with a 40-year contract. After 20 years the agreement would be renegotiated with the township and other municipalities, based on the volume of waste being collected. The municipality would be able to reconsider. There is no financial risk to the municipalities, and the municipality can keep doing what they are doing at that time if we can’t live up to the requirements in place.”
“It seems to be a very good system, and if it doesn’t work out, what have we lost?” asked Mr. Spadzinski, later in the meeting.
“Would you want it in your back yard?” asked Ms. Jefkins, to which Mr. Spadzinski said he would.
“I don’t,” stated Ms. Jefkins.
Mr. Gagnon explained every municipality in Ontario is undergoing the same difficulties in handling its waste. “Some are saying the costs of handling their waste is going to bankrupt them in two or three years. The Bluebox Ontario program is costing a lot more, and with the tariffs, states like Michigan and New York are indicating they could increase the cost of taking hauled waste as much as 1,000 percent.”
Under phase one of the proposal, 10 tons of waste per day could be handled in the WEST plant, in a single 8-10 hour shift and under phase two, 25 tons per day could be handled, the meeting was told.
As for how much energy the plant needs, Mr. Gagnon pointed out “19-30 kilowatts per day.” He pointed out a local sawmill uses more per day.
“Shipping garbage waste a long distance is not economical,” said Mr. Gagnon. As for the natural gas being created in the proposed system, it would go toward heating and cooling the facility.
Mr. Gagnon was asked how many municipalities have indicated they will be participating in the process with WEST. The town of Gore Bay has not made a final commitment, but has endorsed the proposal in principle, as has the municipality of Central Manitoulin, and WEST is having discussions with additional municipalities and First Nations. In total three are showing interest, and the company is waiting on two others and looking at private industry.
In terms of tipping fees to have garbage handled in the WEST facility, it would compare to the system in place with the transfer station through taxation from each municipality paying its share.
Mr. Spadzinski asked how the WEST disposal system compares to any other options like hauling waste to another facility or having a municipal landfill. “We haven’t come across a situation where our system would not have saved a municipality money,” said Mr. Gagnon. “We are cheaper than any other option and no one is getting a 20-year-fixed contract.
When asked what timelines WEST would have in getting a building in place at the proposed site. “If we receive approval from (Gordon/Barrie Island council) for a municipal zoning bylaw amendment we would be able to get a building here within 90-120 days,” said Mr. Gagnon. “But we can’t start doing anything until we have all regulations/requirements approved (by the province). If everything went well, the first or second quarter of 2026 we could be in operation.” He said among the many regulations that would have to be met include all safety requirements.
The plant would need a major overhaul in 20 years, and maintenance being carried out on the plant in the spring and fall of every year. “The first pre-production unit will be manufactured in Sudbury and would be our first commercial facility,” said Mr. Gagnon.
“I like the idea, I think it is fantastic,” said one of the meeting attendees.
Mr. Gagnon said, “we all need to reevaluate how we look at waste. Our process makes sense for rural Northern Ontario municipalities. We can handle the waste here, being environmentally and financially beneficial, and create jobs on top of that.
“Is it necessary, under your proposal, to operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day, to take care of Manitoulin Island waste?” asked April Orford.
Mr. Gagnon said it can be done in five days per week and would only operate during the daytime.
One attendee questioned what WEST will do if it cannot find employees to work at the new proposed plant. He pointed out the company already has some people in place to work at the facility.
It was pointed out by one member of the public that the company was several years ago involved in a proposal to provide for a wind farm on Manitoulin, but the company sold its part of the project. “You are out to make money, and I understand that, but in this case things got rolling and then it was sold.” She questioned if this would happen with this new waste plant proposal.
“We have exited two different initiatives in the past. In both cases we were the minority partner,” said Mr. Gagnon. “This (WEST) is my full-time job, and something I want to do for the foreseeable future.”
“Why are you looking at this site here, now?” asked Ms. Jefkins.
“We have carried out all the testing and studies in other municipalities and this one is the best for this Manitoulin Island project,” said Mr. Gagnon.
As for concerns raised with noise coming from the new facility, Mr. Gagnon explained even with the grinder/shredder operating in the plant, the noise created would be less than 90 decibels. If you are running equipment with less than 90 decibels, it is basically the same as a pick-up truck would make.
“There is no financial risk to the municipalities,” said Mr. Gagnon. “If we can’t meet all the necessary requirements then municipalities can drop out and continue doing what they have been.”
“To me, what is being proposed is a good solution,” said Mr. Spadzinski. “At some point we have to deal with our waste, and this seems to be the most efficient way, although I do understand the concerns people have with this facility being close to their property.”
A Manitoulin-based equipment mechanic said he can see a couple of flaws with the system, noting it’s a gasification unit. “How are you storing the gas?”
“We extract the gas and consume and use it,” stated Mr. Gagnon. “We are not storing the gas—it’s physically used and consumed.”
Everything is under a roof in the WEST proposal, the meeting was told. “Our methodology is different than a gasification unit,” said Mr. Gagnon.
“If you are grinding waste products eight-10 hours a day, running a generator and three phase power, neighbouring residents will hear it,” said one man.
“The noise requirements can and have to adhere to all requirements and the generation being inside the building reduces the noise. We will be adhering to all required standards,” said Mr. Gagnon.
Odour coming from the plant was another concern raised at the meeting. “There is more smell that comes from the transfer station than there would ever be from our unit,” Mr. Gagnon told the meeting. “This is a closed loop system.”
“What happens if you don’t get other municipalities to participate?” asked one resident.
“We would have to look at the entire total financial model and see if have enough additional waste being brought in,” said Mr. Gagnon, who said WEST would not be trucking in waste from off-Island. “Our objective is to take care of the waste generated on the Island.”
Ms. Orford asked if WEST approached the Island Waste Management Committee on its project proposal and Mr. Gagnon said the proposal has been endorsed by the committee.
As for a backup location if WEST does not receive approvals to locate its plant on the proposed location, Mr. Gagnon said the company can look at another site locally or look off-Island.
The WEST proposal is to build a gasification plant that would take the waste that is currently going to the transfer station (and more) and then trucked off the Island, and they are hoping other municipalities will participate as well.
As was reported previously, WEST has tested and can take over 400 different waste materials through its ‘waste processing as a service model,’ including all types of waste, including municipal, wood, plastic, oil rubber, textiles, organics. Their customers could include government municipal, universities, hospitals, transportation railroad ties, airports, car fluff, manufacturing automotive oil, remote mining sites, food and beverage, grocery stores, distributors.
The WEST technology is a proprietary, non-combustion, climate positive, waste conversion system that uses waste as a source of fuel. The process begins by reducing the waste into small cubes. The cubes are then loaded into a no-pressure, oxygen-deprived chamber where the solid material is converted into a gaseous state. The gas is then consumed as a source of fuel on site. The technology is scalable, stackable and portable, thus enabling a decentralized waste processing solution and contribution to a circular economy. The technology meets EU EPA air emission standards without supplemental air emission treatment. WEST uses waste as a source of energy to produce electricity, heating and cooling.
“We are not in the waste hauling business, but when we look at the distance and cost of hauling waste from the transfer station to Espanola, with our system everything would be taken to our facility,” said Mr. Gagnon“Everything would be contained under one roof, and items would be ground into the size of a sugar cube, with everything going into a 20-foot box sea container and go through a thermal conversion process, electrically driven.”
“Our solution provides jobs, grid stability, with no concerns to the environment,” said Mr. Gagnon. “Some of the benefits to the township would be a 20-year fixed contract to handle all waste, a 1,200 square foot new facility from which they would derive property taxes, and employment for at least a dozen and possibly two dozen people.” He pointed out the water used in the plant is less per day than a four-person family and remains in the facility.
The next step in the WEST proposal is for council to consider approval of the municipal zoning bylaw amendment for a renewable energy generation plant and advance recycling (under site specific), which council tabled at its last meeting, to have the public meeting last week.
