Toronto Western Hospital Retrofit

We are investing in the world’s largest raw wastewater energy transfer system at Toronto Western Hospital, part of the University Health Network (UHN).

Renewable energy company Noventa Energy Partners (Noventa) worked with UHN, with the support of Enbridge Gas, to develop the $42.9 million project, which will provide approximately 90 per cent of the hospital’s heating and cooling requirements.

The retrofit investment transfers thermal energy to and from wastewater flowing in the mid-Toronto interceptor sewer to provide low-carbon heating and cooling to the hospital.

As a result, the hospital’s natural gas use and water consumption will be significantly reduced. Over the next 30 years, the hospital will see a cumulative reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of more than 250,000 tonnes.

Construction activities began at Toronto Western Hospital in October 2021. 

Benefits of CIB involvement

This is the first project under the CIB’s Public Building Retrofits Initiative, which seeks to achieve significant energy savings from infrastructure owned and/or managed by the public sector.

Our financing was required to bridge the project’s commercial and economic gap which allows it to move forward. Our intent is to be repaid over the term of the contract, not the life of assets and repayment would be made through energy cost savings.