City of Calgary Demonstration Program Community Engagement

In 2012, the City of Calgary sought opportunities to beneficially manage dewatered biosolids to augment and add diversity to their already successful land application program.  SYLVIS proposed a five-year, Marginal Land Improvement and Willow Biomass Demonstration Program to provide contingency, flexibility and diversity to The City’s overall biosolids management program.  Recognizing that this beneficial use of biosolids was new to Alberta, SYLVIS and The City proactively engaged with regulatory and municipal government agencies, local residents, and non-government agencies to build awareness and understanding of the Demonstration Program and its objectives.

To engage with project stakeholders, SYLVIS and The City present project findings to municipal government agencies annually, host annual site-tours, and respond directly to project inquiries.  This commitment to inclusiveness, transparency, and responsiveness has enabled a broader understanding of marginal land improvement through biosolids application.  It has also afforded community members the opportunity to see and interact with the project, building an implicit knowledge of what it looks like on the ground. 

Successful biosolids management is achieved with the support of stakeholders, an end to which SYLVIS is committed to through proactive engagement for the Demonstration Program.  Feedback from community engagement has indicated growing interest, understanding, and support for this important marginal land improvement initiate in the region.