OUR EXPERTISE AT THE SERVICE OF YOUR AMBITIONS
We help you make your projects a reality and your economic, social and environmental benefits are there for the taking.
Agriculture and agri-food contribute to individual and collective security in the same way as health and energy.
The Covid-19 pandemic has positively modified the public's perception of the important role of Quebec agricultural producers in general and local and territorial agricultural producers in particular in food autonomy and security. This reinforces a strong general trend that responds to the needs of citizens in general, and consumers in particular, to evolve in a harmonious world and to eat healthily with products that are no longer industrially anonymous, but rather territorially and humanly typified and of which they are proud. Quebec consumers, with the help of confinement, have rediscovered “local” products, but this new interest has crudely brought to light the serious technical and logistical deficiencies in the value chains, particularly in remote regions.
What is the “social cost” of emitting a tonne of CO₂?
Business activities generate harmful impacts on the environment which have a cost. These costs are borne, directly or indirectly, by the entire community. The costs of these impacts on the environment are called "externalities" because these marginal costs of economic activity are never included in the prices paid by companies or consumers, but who otherwise assume them via the State when he must remedy the situation. This distorts the market by encouraging activities that are costly to the community when the private benefits are substantial. A recent American study (2022) estimates the real social cost of emitting a TeqCO₂ at CAN$291 (updated 2023).
The Regional Energy Ecosystem of the MRC du Domaine-du-Roy
Ardent promoter of the recovery of industrial thermal discharges in Quebec since 2001, INNOVAGRO consultants has provided the City of Saint-Félicien with the expertise necessary to move from the project to reality. INNOVAGRO consultants ensured the project coordination between the teams of the City, Produits Forestiers Résolu (PFR) Kraft St-Félicien and Serre Toundra for the design, construction, commissioning and monitoring of the municipal heating network which will recovers low-temperature thermal energy from the PFR biomass cogeneration plant and transports it to the Serre Toundra greenhouse complex, which started production in 2016.
In 2023, INNOVAGRO consultants is in charge of the file of the second heating network of the City of Saint-Félicien to valorize the low temperature thermal energy of the O&M cogeneration plant and develop a real Regional Energy Ecosystem gathering around the second municipal network of heat the Biomass Valorization Center, CHARTech, the Agrothermal Park and the Thermal Industrial Park. This circular economy approach will allow a reduction in GHG emissions of more than 54,000 TeqCO2 per year.
Towards an autonomous regional meat sector in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Since 2020, INNOVAGRO consultants have handled the majority of files relating to the establishment of an autonomous regional meat sector in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (QC). After studying several options, INNOVAGRO consultants finally carried out the technical-economic study for the transformation of Boucherie Charcuterie Perron (Saint-Prime in Lac Saint-Jean) into a regional butchery services center (abattoir A-1 and center C1 cutting, transformation).
Our recent projects
It is with pleasure that we present our most recent projects.
Biosourced taxifolin extracted from black spruce bark – Opportunity study for the MRC du Domaine-du-Roy
Taxifolin is also known as dihydroquercetin (DHQ), belongs to the class of polyphenols. This powerful flavonoid is commonly found in the bark of certain conifers, including black spruce (Picea mariana). Black spruce bark contains very interesting concentrations of taxifolin. This bark is available in large quantities in northern Quebec.
Recovery of biogas from landfill sites and production in greenhouses. For the Economic and Cooperative Council of Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan: 481 closed landfills → emission of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Biogas from landfill sites can be recovered as alternative fuels for heating greenhouses = reduces the environmental impacts of biogas emissions and allows the establishment of short "fruit and vegetable" circuits for the benefit of safety and food autonomy.
Agronomic support for the start-up of cannabis production in a closed environment for CannaBoréa.
CannaBoréa is a company based in Saint-Prime in Lac-Saint-Jean. CannaBoréa holds a cannabis production micro-license issued by Health Canada. INNOVAGRO consultants brought its greenhouse and cannabis expertise to supervise the CannaBoréa team in order to start production in the best conditions and with optimal results.
Valorization of thermal discharges from the Biomont cogeneration plant and thermal energy from leachate water from the Miron quarry. For the Montreal Urban Agriculture Laboratory
INNOVAGRO consultants carried out for AuLab a complete feasibility study of two heating networks in Montreal for the heating of a greenhouse complex in Frédérick-Back park and three municipal buildings. High temperature: thermal discharges from Biomont cogeneration. Low temperature: thermal energy from leachate from the Miron quarry.
Our services
INNOVAGRO consultants offers a range of services that meet your needs and your projects.
Agriculture and agri-food
INNOVAGRO consultants conducts pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for intensive commercial greenhouse complexes and farm motels with innovative energy approaches (e.g.: valorization of industrial thermal waste). INNOVAGRO consultants is familiar with the various financial support programs of Transition Énergétique Québec.
INNOVAGRO consultants has developed a recognized expertise in supporting greenhouse project promoters in all matters related to relations with the Ministère de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les Changements Climatiques (MELCC) in order to obtain an environmental authorization.
INNOVAGRO consultants' expertise is used by MRCs and municipalities for agricultural development plans, opportunity studies and sectoral socio-economic impact studies.
Valorization of industrial thermal waste
INNOVAGRO consultants has always been actively involved in the development of industrial waste heat recovery in Quebec and has been a pioneer in the Agrothermal Park project of the City of Saint-Félicien (Quebec). This innovative set of municipal infrastructures, including a heating network, has allowed the installation of a major greenhouse complex (Toundra Greenhouse) which benefits from very competitive production conditions, particularly in terms of energy, thanks to an original partnership between Résolute Forest Products - City of Saint-Félicien – Toundra Greenhouse.
INNOVAGRO consultants has to its credit numerous characterizations of thermal waste generated by various industrial units: cogeneration units, thermal power plants, chemical industries, steel industries, pulp and paper industries, industrial incinerators. INNOVAGRO consultants has also carried out several pre-feasibility and technico-economic feasibility studies of municipal heating networks serving industrial parks or sites dedicated to the establishment of agricultural, agri-food or agro-industrial companies that consume large amounts of energy.
Medicinal and recreational cannabis
INNOVAGRO consultants has developed a recognized expertise to support promoters of cannabis production and processing projects in all matters related to relations with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MELCC) in order to obtain a proper environmental authorization or, if possible, a notice of non-subjection for projects under micro-license. The professionalism of INNOVAGRO consultants as well as the excellent level of documentation of the answers to the MELCC led the Ministry to retain the files prepared by INNOVAGRO consultants as a reference grid for all cannabis projects undergoing environmental authorization (current and future) in Quebec.
Research & Development in agriculture
Since 2005, INNOVAGRO consultants has been actively involved in providing scientific support and guidance to agricultural businesses to assist them in experimental R&D work whose objective is to move towards a more sustainable agriculture: economically competitive and environmentally friendly.
Since 2014, INNOVAGRO consultants has been carrying out experimental work mandates for Quebec companies in a commercial production context. These companies have developed feed inputs that can potentially be, both zootechnically and economically, realistic alternatives to antibiotics, for example. These innovations are consistent with the objective of sustainable agriculture in that they emphasize a preventive rather than curative approach.
Fisheries and aquaculture
In Quebec, INNOVAGRO consultants supports aquaculture producers and promoters of aquaculture projects, in close collaboration with the MAPAQ technical team, for pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, market studies and business plans.
Internationally, INNOVAGRO consultants' expertise is used by large companies and donors (engineering, natural resource exploitation, financing under bilateral agreements, etc.). Following its field missions (West Africa, Madagascar), INNOVAGRO consultants produces diagnostic assessments and sectoral master plans, priority projects as well as impact studies (aquaculture, fisheries, processing and marketing of fishery products). INNOVAGRO consultants also produces technical and economic reference systems (aquaculture). The expertise of INNOVAGRO consultants is recognized for continental, lagoon and coastal artisanal fisheries as well as for intensive commercial aquaculture but also in the form of Very Small Enterprises (VSE) with commercial vocation.
Environment, energy and development
INNOVAGRO consultants draws up, on request, territorial diagnostic assessments of energy consumption and also produces evaluations of the externalities of companies or groups of companies.
INNOVAGRO consultants collaborates with the Régie des Matières Résiduelles du Lac St-Jean. Within the framework of this collaboration, INNOVAGRO consultants has developed a decision support tool for the selection of waste recovery technologies and a weight/volume converter applicable to different categories of waste within the framework of optimizing the management of an engineered landfill site (LET).
About INNOVAGRO consultants
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23
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Countries of intervention
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1326, boulevard Laforge
St-Félicien, Québec
(QC) G8K 2C3
CANADA
Monday to friday : 09:00-17:00