The Matériauthèque

Project

CERMIM leveraged its expertise in a three-stage process based on consultation, coaching and knowledge transfer, to equip the Magdalen Islands with a building materials recovery service managed by a local social economy enterprise.

In this sense, the Matériauthèque is an innovative response that improves the environmental balance of the Magdalen Islands while developing a new niche in the circular economy.

Scientific Programming Niches
Circular economy Development in the context of climate change

Financial Partners
RECYC-QUÉBEC, Municipality of Magdalen Islands

Project Partner
Centre de récupération Ré-Utîles inc.

Project Cost
$550,000

The Mandate
in a Nutshell

Here, as in many other places, the challenges of insularity and the urgency of climate change are forcing communities to find original ways of adding value to their resources. This also applies to residual materials.

What Are the Project’s Objectives?

Divert the export of residual materials
Save money
Contribute to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

CERMIM Services
Used in this Project

Project management
GHG quantification
Development of construction methodology
Guide production
Knowledge transfer
Characterization of residual materials

Project Background

Conceived and set up as part of RECYC-QUÉBEC’s Écogestion de chantiers de construction program, the Matériauthèque offers an adapted and sustainable response to one of the region’s major challenges: the management of residual materials from the construction industry.

Now managed and operated by Ré-Utîles, a local company working in the social and circular economy, the Matériauthèque is a winning project that recovers residual materials from the construction industry and shows just how much an island is also a world of innovation.

Benefits

Benefits for the Environment and the Community

124 tonnes of materials diverted from landfills
195 tonnes of greenhouse gases (CO₂ equivalent) avoided by reusing materials
$11,000 saved by the Communauté maritime des Îles-de-la-Madeleine for waste management
Creating 5 new jobs

And for All Our Partners

RECYC-QUÉBEC – Reducing residual materials and GHGs, promoting reuse
Ré-Utîles – Capitalizing on infrastructure, developing new expertise, creating jobs and wealth
Communauté – Reducing materials sent to landfills, promoting the circular economy, accessing low-cost materials

Challenges

Relevance

Demonstrating that reuse helps to reduce GHGs, and that each reused material contributes to this issue

Transfer and sustainability

Providing the partner organization with the tools and knowledge it needs to take charge of the Matériauthèque

Deadline

Meet the one-year deadline imposed by the RECYC-QUÉBEC project

Benefits for the Environment and the Community

In addition to being 100% ethical and reproducible, the Matériauthèque project successfully integrates all three aspects of sustainable development:

• Social • Economical • Environmental

A Great Example

The Matériauthèque is a fine example of the emergence of a new form of economy where the negative value of materials considered and treated as waste is transformed into an income of over $1,000/tonne.

The Team

Coordination

Mayka Thibodeau, Associate Director

Project managers

Marie-Hélène Beaudoin-Gagnon • Damien Boudreau • Patrick Petitpas • Mélanie Poirier • Haingonarivo Rabenasolo

Customer Testimonials

“With its knowledge of the field and expertise in the circular economy, CERMIM is a driving force for change, allowing Ré-Utîles to keep pushing onwards and do more with less. The team is truly aware of our community’s reality and shares our social and environmental mission. We’re proud to work with CERMIM and to continue developing circular economy projects. Thank you to the whole team for your concern for the Îles community and the environment, and for thinking of Ré-Utîles as a partner and ally.”

Mylaine St-Onge, Director,
Centre de récupération Ré-Utîles inc.