Colchester Gets Compost Handling Facility

The Colchester area is showing leadership in solid waste management by building a compost facility to help extend the life of landfills, protect the environment and turn waste into a valuable resource.

Lenore Zann, on behalf of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations Minister John MacDonell, MP Scott Armstrong, and Municipality of the County of Colchester Mayor Bob Taylor, announced funding for this project today, April 12.

The compost handling facility is the third phase of the municipality's waste management master plan. It will reduce the amount of solid waste that goes to the municipality's landfill, protect and reduce negative impacts on the environment, and include significant energy savings.

"We are pleased to work with our federal and municipal partners to make life better for the citizens of Colchester County with the construction of this waste diversion facility," said Ms. Zann. "We are making strategic investments in infrastructure projects that make our communities greener and reduce our impact on the environment, while creating good jobs and growing the economy."

"These investments reflect government's commitment to building stronger, more vibrant communities in Nova Scotia and across Canada," said Mr. Armstrong. "This new compost handling facility will benefit hundreds of households in Colchester County."

Mr. Taylor said he is proud of the Colchester County facility.

"This will help us keep food waste out of landfills and the partnerships we forged with the province and federal government to get us here," said Mayor Taylor. "With the ability to convert all this food waste into compost, this facility will be hugely beneficial to our community."

The province and the government of Canada will each contribute $860,604 to help build the facility through the Building Canada Fund – Communities Component. The Municipality of the County of Colchester will contribute $2,651,621.

The communities component of the Building Canada Fund funds infrastructure projects in communities with populations of less than 100,000 (as of the 2006 Census). It will significantly help smaller communities address individual infrastructure pressures and priorities.