Grant: CCI Applied Research and Development Grants

The bio-industrial sector is dependent on a highly polluting oil made from fossil fuels and petrochemicals, resulting in practices and products that are harmful to people and the planet.  Demand continues to grow and supplies continue to decline, while environmental impacts compound globally. This indicates a strong need for clean and renewable alternative fuels.  Ergo Eco Solutions Inc. (Ergo), located in British Columbia, supports circular economy initiatives by collecting waste cooking oil and recycling/upcycling it as part of their growing line of “oil-ternative™” products that are safe for people and the planet. Ergo Eco Solutions located in Vancouver Island, BC is committed to building a circular economy by recycling cooking oil into renewable eco products and is proposing to collaborate with Lambton College's Bioindustrial Process Research Centre (BPRC) to create new oil-ternative™ products and production processes and optimize their current production processes. With the help of Malahat First Nation, Ergo is currently constructing a manufacturing facility in Malahat Business Park. Their primary product consists of biodiesel, but through proposed partnership with BPRC, Ergo is aiming to set the stage for a greener future, solidifying the oil-ternative™ production unit. The anticipated success of the facility will be rewarding for Ergo, attracting new customers and projecting and increase in revenue from $1.6M to over $7M in five years. The Malahat First Nation community will directly benefit from the projected job creation as the facility grows from 8 to 19 employees, in addition to other jobs created. This facility will add to the diversity of Canada’s bio-industrial sector and will strive to achieve zero-waste and zero-emission, meeting the biodiesel demands and international greenhouse gas reduction commitments.