The Sanimax animal carcass collector, located in eastern Montreal, is asking for a three-year reprieve before complying with Montreal regulations on polluting discharges.
The company is the target of numerous criticisms concerning the pestilential odors emanating from its facilities, but argues that it occupies an essential place in the Quebec food chain.
Last year, justice gave it until May 2024 to radically reduce the quantity of ammonia that it sends into Montreal’s sewers and which ends up directly in the St. Lawrence River. The company says it is unable to correct the situation before May 2027.
Sanimax recently received reports from engineers which indicate that the technological solution being tested to treat its waste cannot realistically be operational from next year, the renderer argued before the Superior Court, asking it to allow a debate to take place on the deadline. The City of Montreal opposed holding such a hearing.
“The City does not convince the Court at this stage that the request for modification constitutes an unreasonable use of the procedure,” ruled Judge Azimuddin Hussain at the end of August.
The main release from the Rivière-des-Prairies plant is a form of ammonia produced by the decomposition of millions of pig and chicken carcasses processed each year by Sanimax.
“As an essential service, Sanimax is very aware of its responsibilities towards the food chain in Quebec and this is why the company will continue to deploy all necessary efforts to fulfill this critical role,” responded the company. Out of respect for the ongoing legal process, Sanimax will not comment further on this matter at this time. »
“It is clear to us that any company on the island of Montreal must reduce the environmental impacts of its activities as much as possible and this is what we invite Sanimax to do,” reacted Béatrice Saulnier-Yelle, press officer at the firm from Mayor Valérie Plante. “We will not compromise on the quality of life of our citizens and will implement all of the City’s rights to this end. »
Another victory for Sanimax
Furthermore, Sanimax won another legal round in the last few days: the Quebec Court of Appeal canceled more than $100,000 in fines imposed on the company by the City of Montreal, in particular for having polluted its environment.
Its environment department did not have the necessary powers to draw up these statements of offense, decided the three judges of the most powerful court in the province, at the end of a long legal saga. Formal transfers of responsibilities were poorly carried out when the Urban Community of Montreal (CUM) transformed into the Metropolitan Community of Montreal (CMM) in 2001.
“By agreeing with Sanimax and acquitting the company, the highest court in the province confirms what Sanimax has been asserting since 2014, namely that the City of Montreal acted illegally in the exercise of its powers over it. », Reacted Sanimax.
“Our legal teams are analyzing the decision, but it is important to emphasize that since the time concerned by the facts, the CMM and the City have already improved the articulation of our regulations,” argued the mayor’s office Plant.
