Winnipeg council urged to approve $815 M biosolids facility contract

Winnipeg’s Public Service is recommending that city council approve an $815.48 million contract with Red River Biosolids Partners to build new biosolids facilities at the North End Wastewater Treatment Plant (NEWPCC). The project forms the second phase of a three‑phase modernization program intended to replace aging infrastructure, increase treatment capacity for a growing population and bring the plant into compliance with provincial environmental regulations.

The progressive design‑build process identified cost‑saving engineering changes, including a switch from thermal hydrolysis to thermophilic digestion and the use of steel rather than concrete in parts of the structure. Construction would begin after council approval, with biosolids treatment slated to start in October 2030 and substantial completion by March 2031. The consortium—led by Aecon Water Infrastructure and including Oscar Renda, MWH Constructors, Stantec and Hatch—will also apply the city’s 2022 social procurement directive to increase Indigenous and under‑represented labour participation. "With biosolids, we found many saving opportunities through adapting the design," said Lana Obach, major capital project engineer for the City of Winnipeg.