Feds announce $1.3 million for Regina’s landfill gas collection system

REGINA — The Government of Canada recently announced close to $1.3 million to help expand the city of Regina’s landfill gas collection system as part of a plan for greater action on climate change.

The system collects methane emitted by landfill, which reduces air pollution by preventing the greenhouse gas from being released into the atmosphere. Up to 30 new gas wells and associated infrastructure will be added to the system and the project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by up to 30 per cent while reducing odours.

“The Landfill Gas to Energy Project has been an unqualified success for the City of Regina, significantly reducing the methane gases produced by the landfill by 30 per cent while also providing a financial benefit to our residents. This project has been a major advancement in protecting our environment, and we will continue to make a greener future for the next generation through this expansion,” Regina Mayor Michael Fougere said in a statement.

The funding comes from the federal government’s Low Carbon Economy Challenge’s Champions stream, which is valued at $450 million and is open to provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous communities and not-for-profit organizations.

“The most obvious impact of climate change in Saskatchewan is the increasing frequency and severity of damaging weather, including storms, floods, droughts and wildfires. The costs in the last few years have added up to hundreds of millions of dollars. So doing nothing about climate change is not cost-free. By supporting innovative projects like Regina’s landfill-gas-collection system, we can avoid some of those costs, while growing our economy,” added federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale.

The low carbon economy challenge is one component of the Low Carbon Economy Fund, the other being the leadership fund, which provides up to $1.4 billion to provinces and territories to leverage investment in projects that reduce GHG and generate clean growth.