AIM's Moncton scrapyard approval expires, province says it won't renew it
Salvage dealer licence required to operate lapsed June 30
The New Brunswick government will not not renew a controversial Moncton scrapyard's expired — and required — dealer licence.
The Department of Public Safety salvage dealer licence for American Iron & Metal's operation on Toombs Street expired June 30.
In a statement emailed to Radio-Canada Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for the department confirmed it has not renewed the licence.
"Given that the company has three months to file an application for judicial review, it would be inappropriate to comment on this matter," Jadesola Emmanuel, communications officer for the department, wrote in French in the email.
It's unclear whether the company will have to stop operations at that location while awaiting the results of a potential judicial review.
The Montreal-based company, also known as AIM, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
The company purchased the site in 2023. Shortly after, residents started calling for the scrapyard to be relocated over concerns about noise, vibrations, smells and trains blocking a city street.
AIM is suing the provincial government over its handling of the permits for its Saint John port scrapyard. That site was shut down after a fire in September 2023 that sent a plume of smoke over the city.
The shutdown led to AIM increasing activity at its Moncton site where it could ship material by rail.
The fire also led to more scrutiny of the company's other operations in New Brunswick by the province. The fire marshal ordered the company to make changes to its Moncton location, which it did.
The increased activity led to complaints from residents in the adjacent neighbourhood.
The company was forced to reduce the scale of piles of scrap, and to install a wall of shipping containers to reduce noise reaching homes. Despite the efforts, including a third-party report which found the wall did succeed in mitigating some noise, residents still complained.
Last year, minister Kris Austin threatened to revoke the company's approval. Days before the provincial election, Austin opted to extend the approval to June 30.
The company has a separate approval for handling batteries and hazardous materials through the province's environment department.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Decades-old barbershop to shut its doors ahead of Westgate Mall demolition
One corner of Ottawa's Westgate Mall that's been filled with the sound of hair trimmers and laughter will soon fall silent, as Ramon Carballude and his barbershop prepare for the end of an era. Westgate Barber Shop will close its doors Thursday after decades of business. Carballude, who joined the barber shop in 1968 shortly after immigrating to Canada, says that while he feels "terrible" about the closure, it's inevitable. The city's oldest mall, located on the southwest corner of Merivale Road and Carling Avenue, is slated to close Oct. 31. It will be demolished to make way for a grocery store and residential towers, according to River ward Coun. Riley Brockington. For Carballude, the closure represents the end of decades of memories. 'All my life' Now 85, Carballude learned his trade in a small town in Galicia, Spain, before coming to Canada in 1965. Back then, barbers needed a licence to operate. After a few years working in construction, Carballude passed his Canadian licensing exams in 1968 on his first try and began working at the shop. Over the years he's done thousands of haircuts and made connections with people across the country. Customers have come from as far as Nanaimo, B.C., several times a year for his services, he said. "We try to be nice to the people. And people are nice to you," he said. "They don't get the same service in other places." Carballude plans to keep cutting hair, moving about a kilometre west on Carling Avenue to a new location owned by his long-time employees. It will be called The New Westgate Barber Shop. Still, he says, he'll miss the memories. "I've been here all my life," he said. "I deal with the people. I talk to the people. And people are nice. Why [do] you want [us] to disappear?" Juan Vo, one of the co-owners of the new location, said he's nervous about starting fresh. He's been working at the Westgate Mall shop for 27 years. "I will miss it very much," he said. "A lot of people come and go, you know." Community has 'evolving needs' The mall is owned by RioCan, an investment trust with properties across Canada. According to an emailed statement, RioCan confirmed all tenants — save for the Shoppers Drug Mart — will be required to move out by the fall as part of a "revitalization plan to support the community's evolving needs." "We are grateful to all our tenants for their long-standing support and presence at Westgate and remain committed to a smooth transition," the statement said. Brockington said the mall isn't as busy as it used to be. He added RioCan has been clear with the city about its process, and he has engaged in soliciting feedback from people in his ward. He said the revitalization plan will help implement the city's long-term strategic plans for urban intensification. "The city has to make room over 30 years for 400,000 more people, so we have to do our part. And when you look at a major artery like Carling, that's where you expect height and density to be built." Still, he says he understands the sentimental value in Westgate Mall. "As a councillor you have to thread the needle between respecting established mature communities and the need to facilitate infill and more growth. And that isn't always easy." ARCHIVES | Westgate opens in Ottawa 10 years ago Westgate was the first mall in Ottawa when it opened in the 1950s.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Delays, cancellations, compensation disputes, Canada's transport agency is drowning in airline complaints
Travellers look at the arrival and departure board at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, Friday, Sept.13, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press) A backlog of 85,000 complaints from air passengers is piling up at the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), and one advocate says the system is failing passengers. From delays and cancellations to compensation disputes, the CTA is drowning in complaints. 'It is going to take them more than two years to deal with just a current backlog,' said Air Passenger Rights founder Gabor Lukacs. Since the CTA resolution office launched in 2023, the number of complaints continues to grow. Lukacs said that the agency's method of dealing with grievances is complicated and ultimately fails customers. 'In Canada, they have this system where the airline will say, 'Well, it's outside our control, so we don't have to pay you anything,' he said, adding that, from the airline's perspective, it's easier and more profitable to refuse to pay and instead tell passengers to file a complaint through the CTA. 'So the Canadian Transportation Agency has the power to fine airlines that don't obey the law, but they're not using those powers,' he said. The CTA said it's proposing charging airlines nearly $800 for each eligible complaint, but for some airlines, the proposal is not welcome. 'Charging airlines $790 for each complaint, including the vast majority when we are found to have applied the legislation correctly, would not be balanced nor an equitable way of addressing the issue,' said Air Canada in a statement. "Air Canada cooperates with the CTA on a continuous basis, and our standard is to respond swiftly to all files transmitted by the agency and meet their response deadlines." 'The Canadian Transportation Agency's punitive proposal reflects a troubling disconnect between the Agency and the realities of Canada's economy and aviation sector,' said Westjet. 'Imposing additional costs on Canadian travellers, in an industry already oversaturated with high government taxes and fees, is very concerning—particularly during an affordability crisis in Canada." Westjet adds that the agency's priority should be dealing with improving its administration and reducing wait times. The CTA said, however, that in 2024-2025, the agency closed over 33,600 complaints, but did not say how many were resolved in favour of passengers. Lukacs said he's taking the CTA to court due to the agency's lack of transparency. 'Because not only that, it takes more than two years, and they have a huge backlog,' he said. 'They're also trying to gag passengers who have a case before them.' In the meantime, he says that if passengers have complaints against airlines, heading to a small claims court is a better option. CTV News reached out to Canada's Ministry of Transportation for comment, but did not hear back.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Sydney Mines Heritage Festival brings hundreds to Main Street
Hundreds of people gathered in Sydney Mines, N.S., for the community's annual heritage festival. (Ryan MacDonald/CTV News) Hundreds of people filled the main street of Sydney Mines, N.S., over the weekend for the community's annual heritage festival. This year marked the fourth year for the Sydney Mines Heritage Festival, previously know as the Johnny Miles Festival until 2022. In recent years, the festival has been organized by New Deal Holdings of Sydney Mines. A section of Main Street was closed to traffic for the weekend, where vendors sold their goods and musicians performed on stage. Organizers said this year's attendance was the best with many people coming from others parts of the region. 'There's also a sense of pride when the folks come from away', said Dave Julian, a festival organizer and president & CEO of New Deal Holdings. 'They're home for the summer and they see this on the main street, and they say 'You know what? This is the way it was when I was growing up.' That's kind of what we're trying to do again.' Julian added that next year's festival will be a special one, as it will mark the 100th anniversary of Sydney Mines native Johnny Miles' first victory at the Boston Marathon in 1926 (he also won in 1929). He said plans are already in the works to make next year's heritage festival bigger and better, and to further incorporate Miles' memory and his accomplishments as an athlete and a citizen. The three-day event wrapped up on Sunday evening. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
