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 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.
With files from Radio-Canada