Project overview
Metro Vancouver is developing a Waste-to-Energy Facility District Energy System to supply heat and hot water to up to 50,000 homes in Vancouver, Burnaby and potentially New Westminster. This project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70,000 tonnes per year and aligns with Metro Vancouver’s goals for a resilient region.
The Waste-to-Energy Facility handles approximately 25% of the region’s waste and turns it into electricity — approximately 180,000 MWh/year, (enough to power 16,000 homes). The facility also recovers about 5,000 tonnes of metal annually.
The District Energy System will triple the energy recovery efficiency of the Waste-to-Energy Facility by using some of the steam generated by the facility's regular operation to heat water that is delivered through an underground hot water piping network to nearby developments.
Project Status – Phase 1
Metro Vancouver has initiated procurement on the construction of Phase 1 of the project. Phase 1 construction is expected to start in 2025 and last until 2027.
Phase 1 of the Waste-to-Energy Facility District Energy System includes construction of an energy centre, adjacent to the Waste-to-Energy Facility, and the installation of an approximately 6 kilometre hot water piping system from the Waste-to-Energy Facility to the River District community in Vancouver.
The energy centre will be located within the street allowance at the end of Riverbend Drive in Burnaby. The energy centre is where steam will be converted to hot water and will include pumps to move the hot water through piping to the River District community.
In addition to its primary function, the energy centre is being designed to potentially include the following:
- An educational space
- Public amenities including electric vehicle charging
- Features that provide education on the Waste-to-Energy Facility, waste reduction, and recycling
Public engagement on the design of the energy centre will begin once the preliminary building designs are complete. Sign up below and select “District Energy” to be notified about upcoming feedback opportunities on the design of the energy centre and included public amenities:
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The proposed location of the energy centre and the Phase 1 hot water piping system route are shown in the map below.
Phase 2
The second phase of this project will extend the Waste-to-Energy Facility District Energy System to the Metrotown and Edmonds areas where the City of Burnaby is developing a district energy utility.
The proposed expansion for Phase 2 is shown in the map below. The piping route has not been selected.
About the Waste-to-Energy Facility
Metro Vancouver’s Waste-to-Energy Facility has operated in Burnaby since 1988 and is responsible for the environmentally safe disposal of approximately 25% of the region’s waste (around 250,000 tonnes per year), turning it into a valuable energy source.
Learn more about Metro Vancouver’s Waste-to-Energy Facility