TORONTO — The federal government is spending nearly $19 million to expand a renewable natural gas facility in London, Ontario, as part of its push toward net-zero emissions by 2050.Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson announced the funding Monday for StormFisher Environmental Ltd., a subsidiary of Generate Upcycle. The money will support expansion of the London Digester, currently the largest food-waste anaerobic digestion facility in Canada and the largest RNG-producing food-waste digester in North America.The plant converts municipal source-separated organics and industrial, commercial and institutional food and beverage waste into renewable natural gas and nutrient-rich fertilizer used on farms in southwestern Ontario.Once the expansion is complete in 2027, the facility is expected to produce an additional 450,000 gigajoules of RNG each year — enough to power about 4,500 homes annually — along with 86,000 more tonnes of organic fertilizer. Following a broader $70-million expansion, total RNG capacity is projected to reach 675,000 gigajoules per year.The federal contribution comes through Natural Resources Canada’s Clean Fuels Fund..Hodgson said the project will help grow domestic clean fuel production while creating jobs. “By supporting projects like Generate Upcycle’s RNG facility, we are leveraging homegrown innovation and existing resources into reliable, low-carbon energy,” he said.During the media availability, Hodgson was asked about Premier Doug Ford’s call for Canada to use electricity, energy and critical minerals as negotiating leverage with the United States. He declined to discuss specific tactics, saying the government would not negotiate through the media.“We will continue to work as hard as we can to get to a resolution,” Hodgson said. He reiterated the federal government’s red lines: sovereignty, Canada’s bilingual character, and the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.On a question about supporting a revival of the Keystone XL pipeline, Hodgson said the priority remains getting Canadian resources to tidewater and diversifying markets. “Plan A was always… get our resources to tidewater. That’s our number one goal.”The London Digester has been operating since 2012 and processes up to 225,000 metric tonnes of organic waste per year, diverting material that would otherwise go to landfills.You can watch the full news conference below.
