Biofuel manufacturer, province celebrate $165 million York Region facility construction

The Ontario government celebrated a green energy manufacturer on Friday that is building a state-of-the-art biofuel facility in East Gwillimbury, which is expected to save York Region millions in waste management.

The soon-to-be local powerhouse for renewable energy is being built by Convertus Group at a 12-acre site on Garfield Wright Boulevard.

“We’re going to process 170,000 tonnes of waste with an opportunity to expand to 200,000 tonnes in the future,” said Jamie Jongsma, Convertus Group CFO. “That’s going to produce over 400,000 gigajoules of renewable energy a year which will heat up to 5,000 homes in the area.”

The manufacturer says the facility will turn all organic waste from York Region’s green program into certified fertilizers and renewable natural gas.

It will also use first-of-its kind technology in Canada to liquify CO2 and monetize it.

“Most facilities in Canada flare that CO2 to the atmosphere but we’re going to capture it, cool it, compress it and that will become a renewable CO2 product that we can sell back into the industrial industry,” continued Jongsma.

The construction is being made possible thanks to a $165 million investment by Convertus, with $2 million coming from the province.

The facility will create 52 new jobs.

The province is calling it a crucial project for sustainability of turning waste into fuel.

“This is just a really beautiful opportunity to show that, illustrate it, and make money along the way,” said Vic Fideli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

“We’ve got to do everything we can to make our economy as innovative as possible and that’s what this investment is,” said Caroline Mulroney, York—Simcoe MPP.

From a logistical standpoint, Convertus estimates that York Region currently travels nearly one million kilometres to dispose of its organic waste at sites across the province.

With the addition of the East Gwillimbury site, that number could be reduced to an estimated 80,000.

“More than a 90 per cent reduction in distance travelled both from a cost and emissions perspective,” added Jongsma.

“That just speaks to the level of collaboration that is occurring to ensure that the residents of York Region and East Gwillimbury have the opportunity for a better tomorrow from an innovation standpoint and an environment perspective,” said Brian Johns, East Gwillimbury Ward Councillor and Acting Mayor.

The new facility is expected to be fully operational by early 2027 and Convertus is under contract with the Town of East Gwillimbury until 2047.