Winnipeg in deep water over sewage plant Four to six years of capacity left as mayor calls for senior government funds to upgrade facility By: Joyanne Pursaga Posted: 6:46 PM CST Monday, Nov. 18, 2024

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Winnipeg is facing a “crisis moment” as its risk of running out of sewage capacity rises, Mayor Scott Gillingham says.

The city has about four to six years of capacity left to process sewage sludge into “biosolids,” a key step in wastewater treatment, a new staff report notes.

“This is very urgent. We have four to six years of capacity left and it’s going to take at least four to five years to build (an upgraded biosolids facility to expand capacity). And then there’s no more room, no more capacity. In my mind, this is a crisis moment. We need to continue to work with the federal and provincial governments to get the funding in place to build the north end (sewage treatment) plant as quickly as possible,” said Gillingham.

“No capacity means no homes can be built, no commercial, no industrial. So, it’s very, very serious,” the mayor added.

The long-awaited second phase of north end sewage treatment plant upgrades will create a new biosolids facility that can handle more material.

The city, province and feds had a funding deal to complete that phase of the work for $553 million before the project’s price soared to $1.035 billion.

The city has yet to secure additional funding from senior governments to help cover the increased cost, though Gillingham said discussions are well underway.

“We’re in good and deep discussions with the provincial government. (Premier Wab Kinew) has told me, and I believe him, that this has been a priority for him, as well … This is also a priority in my discussions with (Winnipeg South MP) Terry Duguid and (federal) Minister (Dan) Vandal. They’ve also said this is a priority,” he said.

The city expects it will cost at least $2.38 billion to complete the entire, three-phase north end sewage treatment plant upgrade, which a June water and waste report estimated could rise to $3 billion.

Gillingham said city staff are exploring ways to extend sewage treatment capacity at the existing biosolids facility but getting funding in place is critical.

“Can you imagine coming to the place where we have to say no to any development in the City of Winnipeg? If we don’t have the capacity, we can’t build” he said.

A city staff report says other ongoing sewage upgrades could help extend sewage treatment capacity, while higher-than-expected commercial or residential growth could lead it to run out sooner. In 2023, staff estimated five to seven years of capacity remained.

Stakeholders in Manitoba’s construction and development sector are also advocating for senior government funding for the project, said Lanny McInnes, president of the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association.

“We share the mayor’s concern and sense of urgency over this. It is a critical component in — not just Winnipeg — but the municipalities surrounding Winnipeg (being able) to grow,” said McInnes, who also serves as executive director of the Urban Development Institute of Manitoba.

He said officials on all levels of government are aware of the situation and the potential consequences Manitoba will face should its capital be forced to halt development.

“We are at risk of putting a ‘closed for business’ sign up in terms of future development and future investment,” McInnes said. “Seeing a report that says we are four to six years away from reaching our maximum capacity means we are four to six years away from not being able to grow our economy. That’s a frightening scenario.”

If the city cannot move forward with the second phase of development at the north end facility, it could also limit population growth — crippling the tax base, he added.

Darryl Harrison, the director of stakeholder engagement at the Winnipeg Construction Association, echoed those concerns. The inability of the city to complete the upgrades, which are now more than 10 years behind schedule, will likely scare off commercial investors, he said.

The city also needs to overhaul the capacity of underground sewage pipes in some areas, Harrison said.

“Both issues need to be (looked) at jointly,” he said. “We want to see all three levels of government (on board) as soon as possible.”

The subject of capacity issues was raised last week during the Home Builders’ Association’s annual forum.

On Thursday, the premier said he would like to complete a funding deal on the upgrade within the next few months.

“The biggest risk for this cost continuing to go up is if there’s more delays to this project … The thing has to get built, so let’s just try to build it as soon as we can, so it’s the lowest cost (possible),” said Kinew.

On Monday, a provincial government spokesman said there was no update available on whether the province will increase its funding for the project.

— with files from Tyler Searle

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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