It was good news to some, a disappointment to others.
Last week, Manitoba’s environment minister ruled out a public hearing on construction of Maple Leaf Meats’ hog plant at Brandon, Man.
Jim McCrae said he is confident his department thoroughly reviewed the project proposal before issuing a construction licence in June.
The licence has 23 provisions to address issues such as protection of ground water and rare plants,
McCrae said. The licence also sets guidelines for waste disposal during construction of the $112 million hog processing plant.
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The decision to grant a construction licence without a public hearing drew a handful of appeals this summer. McCrae said he reviewed those appeals but found no cause to change his department’s stance.
Maple Leaf Meats offered little comment last week, other than to say it “concurs with the minister’s decision.”
“There would have been compliance and co-operation from Maple Leaf in any event,” said spokesperson Cynthia Zamaria. Construction of the Brandon plant is still on schedule, she said.
Two other licences are needed from Manitoba Environment before the slaughtering plant starts production. Maple Leaf Meats is working on its application for a licence to operate the plant.
Treatment plant considered
Meanwhile, Manitoba Environment is reviewing a licence application for a wastewater treatment plant to be built by the City of Brandon.
The Westman Community Action Coalition was disappointed by McCrae’s decision last week. The coalition objects to the piecemeal licensing of the Maple Leaf plant, said spokesperson Janet Brady. She believes a formal hearing is needed because of the size of the plant.
Brady challenged McCrae to attend a public meeting in Brandon this week to explain his decision.
The Manitoba Environmental Council insists the issue goes beyond whether the plant meets environmental standards. The council, which advises McCrae on environmental issues, believes the bigger question is whether Manitoba can cope with the intensive hog production needed to supply Maple Leaf.
“I think they should still look at the overall implications,” said environmental council chair Bill Turnock. “If the saturation point for hog production can be identified, it’ll have to be set at that.”
The processing plant will be able to kill 45,000 hogs per week with one shift, an amount that could double after the first year of operation.
The City of Brandon saw no need for a hearing on the plant’s construction. McCrae’s decision gave city hall a sense of vindication for standing by that position.
The city is hosting a series of public meetings to share information about the Maple Leaf project. Brandon mayor Reg Atkinson said there’s no attempt to hide details of the project from the public.
“We’ve never hidden anything,” he said. “We have no reason to hide anything.”
