Eyes turn to AIM's other N.B. sites for moving scrap through N.B.
Company owns sites in Bathurst, Shediac and Heron Bay
A metal recycling company whose operations are under scrutiny in New Brunswick has said in court documents that it is seeking another location to ship scrap.
American Iron and Metal's port facility in Saint John has been inoperable since a major fire in September. It had increased use of its Moncton facility, which has direct rail access, but earlier this month it consented to no longer accept new scrap at the site as part of a plan to bring it into fire-code compliance.
The company, known as AIM, has a range of other locations around New Brunswick, but in court documents filed last month it says it is looking for another place to move its material.
The filing says it's taking steps to reduce the amount of scrap at its sites in Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton by attempting to "secure a transload facility that would allow materials to be transported to a new location for shipment," getting approvals from the province for that facility and securing more railcars.
Transloading refers to moving goods from one method of transport, such as trucks —to another — such as rail.
The document doesn't say what locations are being considered. The company did not respond to a request for comment this week.
Beyond its locations in the three major cities, AIM owns sites in Bathurst, Shediac and Heron Bay, which includes the former community of Dalhousie.
Both Shediac and Heron Bay sites have unused railway lines.
The location in Shediac is within the Scoudouc Industrial Park, an area added to the town as part of local governance reforms that was once serviced by a CN Rail spur line.
CN Rail didn't answer whether the spur line remains active or whether there have been any discussions about using it, directing questions to AIM.
On Tuesday, several vehicles could be seen on the site, including an excavator near piles of material.
Shediac Mayor Roger Caissie said the property was a scrapyard before AIM owned it. Property records show AIM has owned the site since 2013.
Caissie said it was his understanding the site had been undergoing decontamination work. It remains zoned for heavy industry, which would allow a scrapyard.
Caissie said it would be up to the province to issue approvals for a scrapyard, not the municipality.
"[We] haven't heard anything from this company recently, or even in the last few years," the mayor said in an interview.
The provincial government didn't provide an interview or answer questions Wednesday about whether AIM already has, or is seeking, approvals for a scrapyard at the Scoudouc site.
Caissie said his understanding is that CN had no intention to resume service on the spur line, which he said hasn't been in use for years and would require work by CN to make it usable again.
In Heron Bay, the company owns large parcels where the AbitibiBowater paper mill once stood.
Mayor Normand Pelletier told Radio-Canada that people in that area wonder whether AIM will want to use the site as a scrapyard.
Pelletier expressed concern about the possibility of a scrapyard at the site close to homes, suggesting a more feasible location for the company would be the Port of Belledune, which also has rail access.
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With files from Pascal Raiche-Nogue