Media Release
For Immediate Release
November 12, 2020

 

ENES partners with CRD on biosolids trucking contract

Victoria, BC – ENES Transportation, a W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations partnership company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Capital Regional District (CRD) to contract the trucking of biosolids produced at its Residuals Treatment Facility (RTF) starting this year.

Under this agreement ḰENES, a new business created by the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council (W̱LC) and Sangan Resource Management, will transport dried biosolids to the Lafarge Canada cement plant in Richmond for up to five years while the CRD develops its long-term management plan for the continued beneficial use of this material.

“The W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council is proud of this accomplishment and feel that this is a good news story for everyone involved,” said Joni Olsen, CRD liaison for the leadership council. “The CRD has worked with W̱LC and our newly formed company, ḰENES Transportation, in a good way—creating an opportunity that has opened a door for our Nations. It is a true act of economic reconciliation and our first partnership with any level of government.”

Lafarge will coprocess biosolids produced from treated wastewater as an alternative fuel to non-renewable sources (primarily coal) in accordance with Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment guidelines.

All of the biosolids produced at the RTF will be transported by ḰENES under this agreement—approximately one load will be taken to the cement plant every two days. 

“Seeking out economic development opportunities with First Nations communities is a strategic priority of the Board and a core part of our commitment to shared prosperity and reconciliation,” said CRD Board Chair Colin Plant. “This is the first time the CRD has approached a service contract with this lens, recognizing community capacity and vision in a way that makes good sense, meets our business need to transport this material and hits the triple bottom line of positive social, environmental and financial impact.”  

“We’ve worked together with CRD and W̱LC staff to create an agreement that builds capacity and provides equitable economic benefit for participating W̱SÁNEĆ Nations,” said Kear Porttris, Director and Operations Manager with ḰENES Transportation. “We’re excited by the potential of this partnership and the employment opportunities we’ll bring to our community with this new business.”

For more information, please visit www.crd.bc.ca/biosolids.

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Kear Porttris, Operations Manager

ENES Transportation 

Tel: 250.580.7087

Email: kear@kenestransportation.ca 

 

Joni Olsen, W̱LC CRD Liaison 

W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council 

Tel: 250.516.3206

Email: joni.olsen@https://wsanec.com/ 

Melanie Tromp Hoover, Communications Supervisor
CRD Environmental Services
Tel: 250.360.3287
Cell: 250.818.1489

Email: mtromphoover@crd.bc.ca

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