Toronto, Ontario (Nov. 20, 2025) – GHD, a global professional services company, was awarded a contract to upgrade the Humber Treatment Plant – North Plant. This transformative project will modernize the City’s second largest wastewater treatment plant infrastructure, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance operational efficiency – setting a high standard for sustainable wastewater treatment in Toronto.

The project, serving over 650,000 community members, is dedicated to upgrading the Humber Treatment Plant through a modern delivery model – Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) designed to foster collaboration, encourage innovation, and achieve cost certainty as a strategic solution in addressing the community’s myriad infrastructure requirements. This project represents the City of Toronto’s first implementation of the CMAR delivery model from project initiation. The City is implementing this approach to strengthen industry collaboration/accountability in large-scale capital delivery, prioritizing transparency and measurable results to further garner public trust.

Project highlights

• Modernization of Secondary Treatment Systems: Upgrades will replace aging infrastructure, improving reliability, and plant performance.
• Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The project is designed to lower GHG emissions, supporting the City’s climate action goals.
• Operational Efficiency: Careful planning and sequencing will minimize process disruptions, ensuring uninterrupted service during construction.
• Social Procurement & Workforce Development: GHD is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, actively participating in Toronto’s Social Procurement Program and supporting workforce development, apprenticeships, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) internships for underrepresented groups.
• Economic Impact: With over 1,100 local staff and a strong supplier diversity mission, GHD’s work will support local businesses and communities.

“As a supplier of engineering services for the City of Toronto, we are committed to successfully implementing the CMAR delivery model to modernize secondary treatment systems and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative will enhance operational efficiency and performance, while establishing a new benchmark for capital construction projects within the Greater Toronto Area” Steve Lecuyer, Executive General Manager – Canada, GHD.

The project team includes experienced professionals in process engineering, electrical, structural, mechanical, instrumentation and control (I&C) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), contract administration, inspection and commissioning, all with deep familiarity with the plant’s operations and challenges. As the prime consultant, GHD will provide preliminary and detailed design, CMAR contractor procurement, permitting, guaranteed maximum price assessment, construction phase services, and post-construction support on the project.

Supporting GHD are key subconsultants – All Things Collaborative Delivery, Cobalt Water Global, MGAC, JenTech Inc., and Polytechnique Montreal. GHD brings more than 15 years and tens of thousands of hours of focused, specialist experience at the facility, delivering upgrades and expanding the plant’s treatment capabilities across multiple projects.