Wednesday, April 16, 2025
The Government of Canada announced the re-investment of up to $2.2 million of recycled industrial pollution pricing revenues to fund a major new emissions reduction project at St Marys Cement in St. Marys, Ont.
With this funding, St Marys Cement Inc. (Canada), which is part of the Votorantim Cimentos group, is installing new speciality cement kiln infrastructure that uses lower-carbon fuels, including discarded plastics, to replace up to 30 per cent of the high-carbon fuels required for the manufacturing process. The innovative technology will cut over 39,900 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in 2030, the equivalent of taking over 9,400 gas-powered cars off the road for a year. As members of Canada’s Net Zero Challenge, St Marys Cement is implementing their plan to transition their facilities and operations to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
“Pollution pricing works. We are holding heavy industry accountable for their pollution, re-investing those revenues into projects that create good jobs and cut pollution. The re-investment of up to $2.2 million of industrial pollution pricing revenues to St Marys Cement is just one example of how we have a plan that is building a cleaner, more sustainable future for all generations. This project not only benefits the community of St. Marys, Ontario, but helps build a more sustainable future for many generations of Canadians to come,” said Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
This is just one of many projects funded through the industrial pricing system in Ontario and the revenue-return program called the Decarbonization Incentive Program (DIP), which re-invests revenues taken from heavy industry through the price on pollution and puts it toward eligible facilities for energy efficiency and emission-cutting projects. So far, the industrial pollution pricing program DIP has agreements in place to reinvest nearly $74.3 million into 18 emissions reduction projects in Ontario, resulting in 274 thousand tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions reduced in 2030—with many more projects to come. This return of proceeds is mobilizing Canada’s heavy industry emitters to contribute funds toward these decarbonization projects, resulting in a total investment of $337 million to further build Canada’s clean economy and create jobs.
“At Votorantim Cimentos, we are determined to be part of the solution to reduce the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions by supporting the circular economy, as well as by investing in new technologies and innovation and pursuing a renewable energy matrix. St Marys Cement, part of the Votorantim Cimentos group, is committed to ambitious science-based target initiative goals, including net-zero concrete by 2050. In 2023, Votorantim Cimentos reduced CO2 emissions by 15 percent, compared to 2010, achieving 556 kg of CO2 per tonne of cementitious material. With the help of Environment and Climate Change Canada funding through the Decarbonization Incentive Program for our Low-Carbon Alternative Fuel project at the St Marys Cement plant, we will reduce our CO2 emissions further. We appreciate Minister Guilbeault’s support and look forward to continued collaboration with Canada’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to reach net-zero concrete,” said Jorge Wagner, CEO, Votorantim Cimentos North America.
Featured image: (St Marys Cement)
