Premier David Eby and North Vancouver–Seymour MLA Susie Chant have expressed support for the rezoning of Chemtrade’s chlor-alkali facility at 100 Amherst Avenue in Maplewood Industrial Area.
Eby highlighted the facility’s significance in a letter to the District. “Operating since 1957, this facility is the largest producer of liquid chlorine in Canada, supplying almost 70 per cent of liquid chlorine used in Western Canada, 40 per cent across the country, and up to 60 per cent in the Western United States,” he said. He noted the plant’s importance to municipal water treatment and its potential to support clean-fuel development in British Columbia.
Meanwhile, Chant cited the facility’s long-standing safety record and community engagement. “Chemtrade has consistently demonstrated its commitment to ensuring a clean supply of drinking water on the North Shore and beyond,” she said, adding that the proposed upgrades would further reduce risks beyond the property boundary.
The rezoning seeks an amendment to allow the continued manufacture of liquid chlorine, a hazardous substance generally prohibited in the district, and to enable safety-focused capital improvements. According to the staff report, the planned upgrades include demolition of unused structures, removal of on-site chlorine storage, construction of an enclosed railcar loading building, installation of seismic safety systems, and modernization of loading infrastructure to reduce risk.
Staff also reported that independent risk assessments, reviewed by third-party consultants, concluded that the upgrades would significantly reduce risk to the surrounding community while maintaining existing production levels. The facility currently employs about 118 full-time staff and produces a major portion of the liquid chlorine used for municipal water treatment across British Columbia and Western Canada.
District staff recommend giving the bylaw first reading and referring it to a public hearing.
