EDMONTON, AB, Canada, Nov. 21, 2006 -- The Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships is recognizing EPCOR and the Government of British Columbia for an innovative partnership that is ending a century of heavy metal pollution in B.C.'s Howe Sound. The Council presented the partners with the Gold Award for Infrastructure for the Britannia Mine Water Treatment facility. Located on B.C.'s Sea-to-Sky Highway, this water treatment plant is now capturing and removing thousands of tonnes of heavy metal contaminants from the historic Britannia Mine, including 166,000 kilograms of copper per year -- the equivalent of 70 million pennies.
"Britannia Mine had been a major source of pollution for decades," said B.C. Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell. "The successful clean-up undertaken by the Province, EPCOR and its team of partners furthers our government's goal of being a world leader in sustainable environmental management. The project team amply demonstrated the value of public private partnerships by delivering this facility on time and on budget, helping protect tax payers from cost increases so common in today's business environment."
Accountability is a central component of this partnership. During design and construction, EPCOR and its partners assumed the risks for cost overruns, schedule delays and costs related to water treatment technology and plant operation. EPCOR faced penalties if the plant was not built or operational on-time. Performance-based payments are made to EPCOR based on the volume of water processed and the plant's compliance with environmental regulations. Performance payments did not begin until the plant was in operation.
"This award recognizes EPCOR's ability to work effectively with both public and private sector partners to develop solutions that are cost-effective, and benefit communities and the environment," said Dr. Stephen Stanley, EPCOR Senior Vice President. "I would like to thank all of the partners who brought their commitment and expertise to this project."
EPCOR financed the facility and led an expert team during the design and construction of the $15.5 million facility. This team included Lockerbie Stanley Inc., Stantec Consulting Ltd., Canadian Environmental and Metallurgical Inc., and BioteQ. As part of the agreement, EPCOR will operate the facility for 20 years. EPCOR has previously been recognized by the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships. EPCOR has twice been the recipient of service merit awards for its partnership arrangements in Port Hardy (Award of Merit, Service Delivery) and for its partnership with the Town of Canmore (Service Delivery).
EPCOR Utilities Inc. (www.epcor.ca) builds, owns and operates power plants, electrical transmission and distribution networks, water and wastewater treatment facilities and infrastructure in Canada and the United States. EPCOR has been named one of Canada's Top 100 employers for seven consecutive years, and is headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta.
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Also see: "EPCOR delivers heavy metal solution for B.C.'s Britannia Mine"
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