Archived News Releases

News Release - Manitoba and Winnipeg

June 9, 2011

Province Announces $2.55 Million for Construction of Manitoba's Largest Landfill Gas-Collection System

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Province, City Combine Efforts to Reduce Greenhouse-gas Emissions at Brady Road Landfill: Premier

The Manitoba government and City of Winnipeg are moving ahead with plans to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from the Brady Road landfill with the signing of a $2.55-million agreement, Premier Greg Selinger and Winnipeg Deputy Mayor Justin Swandel announced today.

“Methane gas is a serious threat to our environment,” said Selinger.  “By capturing it here in the landfill and turning it into carbon dioxide, we’ll eliminate more than 95,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas each year.  That’s equivalent to taking more than 19,000 cars off the road.”

The province is investing $2.55 million for the City of Winnipeg to proceed with the design and construction of Manitoba’s largest landfill gas-collection system at the Brady Road landfill.  Construction on the project, which is a key component of Manitoba’s climate-change strategy, is scheduled to begin this fall and should be operational by next summer.

“The City of Winnipeg is proud to participate in this partnership with the province, which improves local air quality by reducing odours and the harmful effects of methane gas,” Swandel said.

The city will construct over 80 gas extraction wells in an area of 450,000 square metres at the Brady Road Landfill.  The wells will be drilled into the existing garbage to a depth of 15 metres.  The gas from the decomposing garbage will then be drawn from the wells and transferred to a central station where it will be flared, a process that converts methane to carbon dioxide.  Flaring the methane gas in the landfill will reduce harmful greenhouse-gas emissions by converting it to carbon dioxide.  Methane gas is 21 times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide, the premier noted.

Currently, landfills in Manitoba emit approximately 840,000 tonnes per year of greenhouse gasses.  The Brady Road project will reduce greenhouse gases from landfills by 11 per cent.

The City of Brandon’s Eastview landfill has recently commissioned its gas collection system under the same provincial funding program.

The premier also noted that landfill gas-capture projects are just one part of Manitoba’s strategy to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.  Other initiatives include:

  • launching the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Roadmap,
  • funding of an additional $1.23 million for Trees for Tomorrow program to plant one million more trees,
  • creating GrEEEn Trucking which helps trucking fleets install anti-idling devices,
  • increasing geothermal-energy incentives which continues the province’s work as a Canadian leader in geothermal installations, and
  • investing in major hydroelectric and wind-generating projects.

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