Kamloops Council has shot down a motion from Councillor Denis Walsh as Canada Lafarge looks to use part of its shutdown Kamloops operation.
Walsh wanted to hear from the Ministry of Environment on possible impacts on the Kamloops air shed.
“I mean through the Ajax issue, we’ve been told that our air shed is at its limit right now, and I would wonder if it’d be better for us to get more of an expert opinion from the Ministry of Environment as to the ramifications to our air shed.”
However Councillor Pat Wallace sided with the majority in rejecting Walsh efforts saying Lafargemay never consider reopening after hearing the debate.
“I just get slightly frustrated when anybody might have a little dust go after them in council, to say, well we need a big environmental study. Which will cost, if you’re going to do one, it will cost millions, because you need to do the valley. And then is Mount St. Helens blows up, maybe we could send an embassy over there to say ‘oh my gosh, you can’t let your dust come here, we’re going to choke.'”
The company is looking to use part of its Kamloops operation to do some grinding of gypsum and is looking for a permit from the B.C Environment Ministry.