Canada funds $7 million biochar project in Greater Victoria

biochar Greater Victoria federal funding carbon sequestration Capital Regional District

The federal government announced a $7 million grant to the Capital Regional District (CRD) for a biochar facility that will convert biosolids from wastewater into a carbon‑storing material. The project was unveiled by Victoria MP Will Greaves, Esquimalt‑Colwood MLA Darlene Rotchford and Sidney mayor Cliff McNeil‑Smith.

The proposed plant, likely to be located at the Hartland (Heartland) Landfill, will produce biochar used to improve soil health and sequester carbon for centuries, helping to cut greenhouse‑gas emissions. The CRD is finalising its budget and expects detailed plans to be presented to its board in 2027. The funding is part of a federal infrastructure program that also supports a new fire hall in Metchosin, park‑trail planning in View Royal, and asset‑management software upgrades in Oak Bay and Saanich.

Entities: Amanda Mitchell · Capital Regional District · Cliff McNeil‑Smith · Darlene Rotchford · Government of Canada · ROAM · Royal Roads University · Sia Nanda · Tshering Lhaden · Will Greaves

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 5 SOURCES] All proceeds from the store are donated to ROAM, a volunteer‑run nonprofit that helps reunite lost pets with their owners. (new)
[● 5 SOURCES] Amanda Mitchell, Tshering Lhaden and Sia Nanda, three fourth‑year Royal Roads University business administration students, launched an online store called Embarkly. (new)
[● 5 SOURCES] The project is part of an online venture challenge for Royal Roads University business students. (new)
[● 5 SOURCES] The students are based at the John Horgan Campus in Langford, part of Greater Victoria, Canada. (new)
[● 5 SOURCES] The store operates using a dropshipping model, with a third‑party supplier handling production and shipping, so the students and ROAM hold no inventory. (new)
[● 5 SOURCES] The students plan to transfer store operations to ROAM after the university venture challenge concludes. (new)
[● 5 SOURCES] The Embarkly store sells custom merchandise including apparel, mugs, dog leashes and a denim bucket hat with the ROAM logo. (new)
[● 5 SOURCES] TikTok generated more engagement for the store’s promotional videos than Instagram, according to student Tshering Lhaden. (new)