The days of carcass spills and unpleasant odors are almost over in Montreal’s Rivière-des-Prairies borough. smells are few in Montreal’s Rivière-des-Prairies borough.
The animal rendering plant in Montreal’s east end, Sanimax, has made a deal with the city and the province to stop the foul smell.
Joseph Paglia, a resident who has been pushing for changes, called it a victory for the community.
For nearly 10 years, Paglia has been complaining about awful smells in the area and asking the company to take action.
Paglia described the plant's smell as a mixture of wet dog food left in a bag for a few days and rotting animal flesh and chicken carcasses left on the counter for a while.
Now, he believes that people living nearby will soon be able to enjoy their summers outside without the unpleasant odor forcing them inside.
Sanimax has agreed to build a garage to avoid stinky trucks and relocate the truck entrance to reduce disruption to residents. Additionally, an air purification system will be installed.
They also pledged to construct a water processing plant to treat ammonia-contaminated water before releasing it into the river.
The province will designate the area as a special intervention zone to facilitate the company's modifications.
Sanimax CEO Martial Hamel mentioned that they are already taking action and mobilizing their teams to implement the measures.
The city imposed significant fines on the company, resulting in a heated legal battle that reached Quebec’s Superior Court.
The Quebec government intervened, bringing all stakeholders to the negotiating table.
Councillor Lisa Christensen expressed relief but cautioned that a deal does not signify the end of the issue.
The judge mandated that all the work must be finished by 2027 and pledged to monitor the progress.
Coun. Lisa Christensen emphasized her commitment to overseeing the situation in Rivière-des-Prairies.
