"Fuelled by restaurants at The Forks"... ever wondered what this means?
It means that the same oil that makes your french fries crispy also helps power our site vehicles!
That’s right—most of our site vehicles actually run on repurposed vegetable oil, reducing waste and lowering emissions while keeping The Forks moving sustainably.
So, why do we use veggie oil instead of diesel?
Well, by replacing traditional fuel with used veggie oil, we’re reducing waste, cutting carbon emissions, and saving money. This system keeps resources in use longer, benefiting both our budget and the planet. Instead of being discarded, the oil gets a second life—one that has already saved us close to 90,000 liters of diesel fuel.
Here’s how it works:
- Collection Starts in the Kitchen – Every food vendor at The Forks Market saves their used fryer oil instead of throwing it away.
- Gathered and Processed – The oil from each restaurant is taken from the grill to a collection basin.
- Filtered and Cleaned – From there, the oil is pumped into a tote that is transported to the CN garage. And then, with a centrifuge and a bit of science, we remove impurities and get the oil ready for use as fuel.
- Powering Our Fleet – With some engine modifications, our diesel-powered site truck, utility vehicles, and even the ice resurfacer run on collected vegetable oil, all from The Forks Market!
- Yes, You Can Smell Us Coming – One of the quirks of using fryer oil as fuel? A faint scent of deep-fried deliciousness follows us around.
So next time you grab a bite at The Forks, know that your meal isn’t just delicious—it’s helping keep our site running in a sustainable way.