Incinérateur Dickson
by Mike Falkner
The existing Dickson complex is part of the second wave of municipal incineration infrastructure to sweep the city of Montreal. The original wave began in 1927 with the planning of three stations in order to remedy the mounting garbage crisis. While solving the original issues with dump capacity and perilous odor, the incinerators bellowed an encompassing smoke which settled in neighborhoods and was blamed for many breathing ailments.
The Dickson complex housed two high capacity gas fired incinerators and basic pollution control technologies to manage the choking smoke, the station was brought into service as of 1955. For its day, it utilized pioneering technologies and was considered to be the most advanced and modern incinerator within North America until the new Incinérateur #3 started operations across town some years later.
Although cleaner than the previous generation, there was still substantial pollution associated with this design. After more than two decades of operation, surging environmental awareness led to substantial political pressures and its final closure of operations in 1978.
