Project to connect WM's RNG production complex in Sainte-Sophie to the existing gas network
WM, the largest waste management company in North America, and Énergir are announcing their collaboration to carry out the largest renewable natural gas (RNG) production project to date in Quebec.
WM will recover all the biogas generated at its Sainte-Sophie engineered landfill sector (ELS) and produce energy from a biomethanation plant that will be built on its property. Biogas extracted from these two facilities will be purified and injected into Énergir's gas network.
Important messages!
- The Québec government authorizes the project. Following analysis of the reports by the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement and the Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs, and on the recommendation of the Minister, the Government of Quebec authorized the project by order-in-council (Décret 1042-2024, 3 juillet 2024).
- In a decision rendered on June 7, 2024, the Régie de l'énergie authorized Énergir to proceed with the investment required to realize the project. Click here to view the Régie de l'énergie's decision.
- Following public hearings for the project, which took place between December 2023 and April 2024, the BAPE Commission's report concluded, after analyzing and evaluating all the elements and considerations raised, that the project should be authorized. Click here to read the BAPE report.
The project at a glance
Ultimately, the projects will inject up to 76 million cubic meters of RNG into Énergir's network. RNG from WM's Sainte-Sophie facility will thus contribute significantly (more than 20%) to meeting the government's and Énergir's target of distributing 5% of RNG in the gas network by 2025. The WM and Énergir projects could also significantly reduce Québec's GHG emissions by nearly 140,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
The projects involve the construction of a plant to process the biogas from the ELS and a biomethanizer to refine it into RNG, an approximately 10 km ultra-high pressure pipeline and an injection station to connect the WM facilities to the existing gas network.
Project route
Required infrastructure
RNG injection station
- Will be used to inject RNG produced by WM into the existing gas network
- Will be located on the WM site in Sainte-Sophie
Transmission line
- Distance: Approximately 10 km
- Pressure: High pressure (approximately 7,000 kPa)
- Diameter: 6 inches
- Materials: Steel
- Installed in a dedicated easement
Preliminary schedule
Environmental impact assessment and review procedure
In compliance with the process set out in the Environment Quality Act, Énergir submitted the Project's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the Ministère de l'Environnement et de la Lutte aux changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) in December 2022. The complete assessment and all related documents are available on the MELCC’s environmental assessment registry (in French).
Following the Ministry's decision to accept the EIA, the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement (BAPE) was commissioned first to hold a public information period on the project, and then to hold a public hearing.
At the end of the four-month public hearing, the BAPE's Commission concluded, after analyzing and evaluting all the elements and considerations raised, that the project should be authorized.
Community’s information and consultation process
From the beginning of the project, we wanted to make information on the project accessible in order to understand the concerns of the community regarding the project in order to consider them throughout the development.
Renewable natural gas
Learn more about renewable natural gas, a cornerstone of our commitment to decarbonizing our gas network and reducing Quebec’s GHG emissions.
Contact us for any questions or comments
Énergir is committed to keeping the public and anyone affected by the project informed. Send you questions and comments to us at any time, and we will get back to you quickly.