Canada Bread Mega Bakery

Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Owner/Operator: Maple Leaf Foods Inc.

Canada Bread, a division of Maple Leaf Foods, makes fresh baked goods, frozen partially baked goods, fresh pasta and sauces, and employs 8,500 people in 40 plants in Canada, the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

The company was looking to build a 400,000 square feet plant on 25 acres in Hamilton’s Red Hill Business Park to replace three older facilities in Toronto.

Now completed, it is today Canada’s largest commercial bakery, and produces white and brown bread, rolls and tortillas – mostly Dempster’s brand – on seven production lines.

It is considered to be one most modern and productive bakeries in the world. What’s more, it incorporates LEED qualifying  features making it also one of the greenest, most environmentally friendly and energy efficient operations in its industry.

The Acoustic Assessment
HGC Engineering was retained by Maple Leaf Foods Inc. to undertake an Acoustic Assessment of the then proposed plant.  The study was required in support of an Application for a Basic Comprehensive Certificate of Approval, to the Ministry of Environment (“MOE”).  The assessment considered all currently proposed sound sources at the facility.  It evaluated the overall sound emissions of the facility under a predictable worst case operating scenario, which is defined as an hour when typically busy operation of the facility could coincide with an hour of low background sound.

Source sound levels were compiled, based on manufacturers’ published data, measurements from past similar projects by HGC Engineering and estimates calculated using generic prediction equations.  The source sound levels were used as input to a predictive acoustical model to quantify the environmental sound emissions associated with the facility.  Acoustic assessment criteria were established in accordance with the sound level limits in MOE guideline NPC-205.

The analysis indicated that with several straightforward noise control measures, the sound emissions of the facility were well within the applicable sound level limits, as set out in MOE publication NPC-205.

Main Sound Sources

• Oven Stacks and Steam Boilers
• Shipping and Receiving Activities
• Dust Collectors
• Air Cooled Chillers
• Make Up Air Units
• Roof Top Units
• Roof Exhaust Fans

Acoustical Engineering Services Included:

• Undertook a detailed acoustical assessment in accordance with Provincial guidelines
• Developed noise control specifications for inclusion in the building plans and contract documents
• Assisted Maple Leaf Foods in designing a creative truck enclosure to contain the sound from bulk unloading of sugar and salt from tanker trucks