Regional Organics Compost Project
Construction began in November 2021 on a much-needed regional facility that will enable curbside organics collection for over 30,000 single-family homes in Campbell River, Comox, Cumberland and Courtenay. The household organic material will be repurposed into finished compost for agricultural and landscaping uses, diverting approximately 30 per cent of collected waste from our regional landfill. Read the press release here.
The compost facility, located in Campbell River, is scheduled for completion in December 2022 and will accept co-mingled food and yard waste as part of municipal curbside collection programs. Community updates around the timing of this rollout will be made available early in 2023.
Construction Progress
We will be regularly updating this page for more information as this project progresses. Please see below on some of the construction highlights we've accomplished so far.
Compost Facility:
- Site grading – complete
- Power and communication conduit – in progress
- Building foundation work – upcoming
Transfer station:
- Rock blasting – complete
- Site grading – in progress
- Building foundation work – upcoming
Check out some of our construction milestones. To view a larger image, click each small image in the photo gallery.
Regional Organics Site Construction
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Transfer Station Construction
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The CSWM is committed to designing a state-of-the-art facility that minimizes impacts to our neighbours and the environment. We plan to not only meet stringent environmental and community standards, but also exceed these standards wherever reasonable.
All composting activities will be completed indoors, minimizing noise and odour. There will be no impacts to groundwater and surrounding habitat.
The 19 hectare site is zoned for heavy industrial use with specific zoning for composting. In October 2019, the Agricultural Land Commission approved approximately 6 hectares of the site for non-farm use, to be used for the compost facility.
The enclosed processing building and supporting infrastructure will total approximately 47,000 square feet, or just over 2.5 NHL sized ice rinks. This building will be centrally located on a cleared area at the rear of the property, leaving a forested buffer around the site.
This project requires two approvals from the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy: a targeted amendment to CSWM’s Solid Waste Management Plan to construct the regional organics facility and an Operating Permit for the regional organics facility under the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation.
The Ministry administers and regulates air quality issues, including odour issues, under the authority of the Environmental Management Act. The Organic Matter Recycling Regulation governs production, quality and land application of certain types of organic matter.
Development and building permits will be required from the City of Campbell River and the Village of Cumberland. The facility will comply with Public Nuisance bylaws, which includes prevention of nuisance odours.
Status of Approvals
- Solid Waste Management Plan Targeted Amendment - complete
- City of Campbell River Development Permit Approval (Compost Facility) - complete
- City of Campbell River Building Permit Approval (Compost Facility) - complete
- Village of Cumberland Development Permit Approval (Transfer Station) - complete
- Village of Cumberland Building Permit Approval (Transfer Station) - complete
- Organic Matter Recycling Regulation Operating Permit - in progress
Regional Organics Compost Project – Budget Amendment and Update (September 1, 2021)
Regional Organics Compost Project – April 2021 Update (April 16, 2021)
Regional Organics Compost Project – December 2020 Update (November 23, 2020)
Regional Organics Compost Project – September 2020 Update (September 4, 2020)
Regional Organics Compost Project – March 2020 Update (March 12, 2020)
Regional Organics Compost Project – February 2020 Update (February 13, 2020)
Regional Organics Compost Project – November 2019 Update (November 14, 2019)
Regional Organics Compost Project – September 2019 Update (September 6, 2019)
Regional Organics Compost Project – Procurement Recommendations (September 5, 2019)
Regional Organics Compost Project – April 2019 Update (April 4, 2019)
Regional Organics Compost Project – Anaerobic Digestion (April 4, 2019)
Regional Organics Compost Project – March 2019 Update (February 28, 2019)
Regional Organics Compost Project – Additional Siting Analysis (February 28, 2019)
Regional Organics Compost Project – Review and Siting (January 31, 2019)