By promoting the responsible use of precious natural resources, the bioeconomy offers a means to grow economies while simultaneously protecting the environment. But developing bio-based projects is slow, expensive, and risky for investors. There has also been no method for companies to reliably determine whether a region or city has the necessary biomass, supply chain or infrastructure to support a new plant. 

To accelerate the development of bio-based projects in Canada, SCC solicited the expertise of Ecostrat Inc. In January 2021, the Toronto-based company hosted a series of virtual workshops with bio-based project developers, community members, economic developers, and capital markets. Feedback from the workshops was then used to develop a framework to assess and rate the ability of regions to support new biofuel, renewable chemical, biogas, or bioproduct manufacturing plants. 

These workshops also led to the new National Workshop Agreement for Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone Ratings. It sets out regional risk categories for assessing and rating regions’ and cities’ biomass feedstock and infrastructure assets in order to certify their readiness for biomanufacturing. 

BDO Zone Ratings are essential to accelerating investment in the sector by making it easier and faster for project developers to locate potential locations for new plants. The rating system also helps communities to attract new bio-based development by enabling them to demonstrate they have the surplus biomass and necessary supply chain and infrastructure to support bio-based projects. Some 100 communities (at time of publication) across North America have already been certified as BDO Zones, helping to fuel this rapidly growing sector.

“SCC stepped up when no one else would. The people behind the program have been innovative. They’ve been helpful. They’ve been receptive. And it wouldn’t have happened without the money from the SCC.” – Aryn Garswood, Head of BDO Zone Initiative and Special Projects