Monday, August 25, 2025
Alberta’s government is investing $10 million from the industry-funded Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) program to pilot two new technologies that will help Cardston and Peace River treat wastewater more efficiently and turn waste into clean energy.
“Alberta’s municipalities are looking for ways to reduce waste and upgrade infrastructure, and funding these two projects does exactly that,” said Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas. “If successful, it could help Alberta communities reduce waste and keep water clean, while reducing emissions and saving taxpayers money.”
Across Alberta, growing populations, aging infrastructure and rapidly filling municipal landfills are driving up the costs of water and waste management, leaving municipalities looking for solutions. However, new technologies can be expensive or not readily available. That’s why Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) is helping to fund two promising innovation projects.
“This investment, made through ERA’s Continuous Intake Program, supports practical solutions that help Alberta’s municipalities manage the complexity of waste and water,” said Justin Riemer, chief executive officer, Emissions Reduction Alberta. “This program allows us to support the right projects at the right time, helping municipalities deliver essential services and meet the long-term needs of their communities.”
The Town of Cardston is receiving $5 million in provincial funding to help install a new wastewater system that uses helpful bacteria to eat sewage. The technology uses 50 per cent less electricity than the current system and produces cleaner, more reliable water at a lower cost. If successful, this project could offer a cheaper, more environmentally friendly way for many other communities to treat wastewater.
“We are incredibly grateful for the Government of Alberta’s support through Emissions Reduction Alberta that has enabled the launch of the province’s first-ever standalone Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor pilot, an innovative leap forward in wastewater treatment,” said Maggie Kronen, mayor, Town of Cardston.
“This groundbreaking installation in the Town of Cardston signals a bold shift in how not only municipalities, but other commercial operators, approach sustainable wastewater infrastructure. Cardston is delighted to be leading the way in embracing transformative technology.”
Peace River Waste Management Company is receiving $5 million to address overflowing municipal landfills in the Peace Region, expanding its technology that turns landfill garbage into carbon-negative power. This will cut waste by 85 per cent, reduce disposal costs by 25 per cent and lower landfill methane emissions by more than 22 million tonnes. Turning this from a pilot project to a full capital project will create jobs, support 24-hour operations and ultimately enable the technology to be shared with other communities facing waste disposal challenges.
“With this financial support from the Government of Alberta through ERA, we are accelerating our mission to be leaders in environmentally responsible waste management services and systems,” said Art Sawatzky, general manager of the Peace Regional Waste Management Company.
“Every year, millions of tonnes of waste are buried in Alberta’s landfills, resulting in long-term generation of environmentally damaging carbon and methane emissions. There is an incredible amount of latent energy in the waste material we discard. This project enables us to meet our sustainability goals by diverting 80 per cent of the waste materials from the landfill through a facility which recovers and converts the energy into heat and electricity. At the same time, this process will eliminate the waste’s overall capacity to generate emissions.”
The combined value of the two projects is nearly $41 million. Funding is delivered through ERA’s Continuous Intake Program.
For further information, visit:
- Town of Cardston project information
- Peace Regional Waste Management Company project information
- Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction System
Featured photo: An aerial photo of the Peace Regional Waste Management Company. Credit: Government of Alberta.
