Springwater Requests that the County Complete a Business Case Before Continuing with OPF/MMF

News release from Springwater Township

Springwater Council has unanimously voted in favour of requesting that the County of Simcoe complete a comprehensive business case before moving forward with the co-located Organics Processing Facility (OPF) and Materials Management Facility (MMF).

The request comes in response to the announcement from the County of Simcoe regarding its selection of the preferred site for the facility being located at 2976 Horseshoe Valley Road West in Springwater. The site proposal will be brought before County Council on March 8.

The Township of Springwater is requesting that, before continuing further with the procurement or development of an OPF and MMF, the County of Simcoe conduct a comprehensive Business Case and it be presented to County Council, Springwater Council and the public.

The Business Case should include but not be limited to, a risk analysis, market sounding process, a preliminary value for money assessment, including capital and operating cost projections, incorporating all costs related to the MMF and OPF Development and cost projections for building and running an MMF and OPF under various growth and technology assumptions as well as recommended procurement and financing options.

Furthermore, the Township is requesting the County complete a financial impact study including an assessment of the costs estimated to be incurred by the Township of Springwater for this project.

“Springwater is fully supportive of sustainable waste reduction options, but there are many questions left unanswered for our Council, for our residents and for the County of Simcoe as a whole,” says Mayor Bill French. “We need to be aware of all of the potential impacts of this project and how it will affect our residents, including traffic, noise, odour and the financial repercussions. Moving this project forward without examining the potential consequences would be irresponsible.”

“After completing research and speaking with numerous other municipalities undertaking similar projects in Canada, it is clear that a business case must be completed prior to moving forward,” says Deputy Mayor Don Allen. “Determining the need, viability and costs associated with a project like this are paramount to its success.”

The County of Simcoe has been requested to include the resolution as part of the agenda on March 8. A full copy of the resolution can be viewed online at www.springwater.ca/opfmmf