Construction of a hog processing plant in Lethbridge, Alta. is going ahead despite a lawsuit under way in Court of Queen’s Bench.
The suit, filed Aug. 29 by four local citizens, claims the city failed to follow proper procedure when it changed a local zoning bylaw to allow construction of a hog plant on the eastern outskirts of Lethbridge.
Owned by Yuan Yi Agricultural and Livestock Enterprise Co. of Taiwan, the plant has aroused controversy in a community that relies on a strong farm economy.
Jim Penton, retired University of Lethbridge professor, said he and others are piqued about a number of issues.
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“It’s hogs, environment and the behavior of city council. Those are the issues. It’s not even hogs per se. If they could prove to us that this is environmentally safe and that this company isn’t being subsidized, I don’t think there would be any complaints,” said Penton.
People are worried about the ability of the city to handle the sewage and maintain roads leading to the plant, as well as overall environmental effects of having the hog industry on their doorsteps. If the plant can kill 1,500 hogs per day, residents want to know where the pigs will come from.
Mayor David Carpenter said the controversy has gone in several directions.
Environment the focus
“There is a small cadre of people that have chosen to oppose the plant. The basket where they are putting most of their eggs is the environmental basket,” said Carpenter, in an interview from his Lethbridge office. “Their rationale is really directed toward hog production as opposed to hog processing.”
There are also some charges that the city gave the company too many concessions. Carpenter denies this.
The city sold the 62 acres of land on which the hog plant will be built to Yuan Yi for $250,000. The property was valued at more than $1 million. But Carpenter said starting in 2000, Yuan Yi will be required to pay $1 million in a series of $100,000 payments per year.
In addition, Yuan Yi is exempt from paying for sewage treatment for three years.
The city will handle the plant’s effluent in its sewage system, which can treat up to 120 million litres at once. The city usually handles a maximum of 80 million litres during peak periods while at night that drops to 10-20 million litres.
The city has proposed Yuan Yi build a holding tank and deliver its waste water to the sewage treatment plant in off hours.
An environmental impact assessment for the plant has not been done. The city issued a building permit and the company must obtain an environmental permit from the province, as well as clearance from the federal food inspection agency.
In addition, federal veterinarians traveled to Taiwan to inspect and ensure that all packing plant equipment is thoroughly cleaned with an acid disinfectant before it is shipped to the Lethbridge plant. Taiwan’s hog industry has been hit hard by hoof-and-mouth disease and Canada won’t allow any equipment into the country until it has been disinfected to kill all traces of the virus.
Ken Nicol, Liberal MLA for the area, said controversy over the plant is two-fold.
“I feel confident that the plant is OK, but it’s important to have an open discussion,” he said.
The environmental impact of the plant and the effects of an expanding intensive livestock industry in the area are two issues that many people are linking together, said Nicol.
Expansion plans were in place before the Yuan Yi announcement. Farmers were already aware of expansion plans at Fletcher’s Fine Foods at Red Deer and a possible new plant to be built by Maple Leaf Foods somewhere in Western Canada, said Nicol.
