Dalhousie mayor wants scrap metal company

The mayor of Dalhousie said if a scrap metal company chooses to expand somewhere other than Saint John, it is welcome in Dalhousie.

Saint John Mayor Ivan Court said an emergency meeting has been arranged for Monday, where he expects city councillors and the port authority to come to a conclusion about how to keep the expansion in Saint John.

Saint John city councillors voted against allowing NB Power to construct power lines to a metal shredder under construction because they would obstruct the view of residents living in the area.

It was a move that Montreal-based American Iron and Metal president Herbert Black said is completely within their rights.

However, Black said that if he doesn't get the power needed for its $30-million expansion, he'll open it elsewhere.

Dalhousie Mayor Clem Tremblay has already tried to contact American Iron and Metal to move the plant there, pointing out that the company already owns the now closed AbitibiBowater paper mill next to the city port.

Tremblay said his city — located about 459 kilometres north of Saint John — could use the jobs.

"He owns the property and we're about 100 feet (30 metres) from the port, and there's already two big transmission towers that was coming in his property that are still there. So all the infrastructure he needs to put the shredder shed — it's there," said Tremblay.

Black said Dalhousie is one of the possible locations for relocating the plant.

But he added that Saint John has until the end of next week before he makes his decision.