Guelph raises concerns on nearby proposed glass plant

The city of Guelph has some concerns on a proposed glass plant on a parcel of land, west of its border.

Xinyi Glass Ltd. is looking to build a 2-million-square-foot facility at the corner of Wellington roads 124 and 32 in Guelph-Eramosa Township.

The plant would operate year-round, 24 hours day and take 1.6-million litres of water per day, most of which will be used in the glass cooling process.

In a statement posted to the city’s website on Monday, the city said staff sent a letter to the township in May outlining their concerns, mainly on the potential impacts to the city’s water supply.

Guelph, Wellington County and the Grand River Conservation Authority have done water studies to define a protection area of water quantity, which includes the proposed location for Xinyi’s plant, according to the city.

“Any new water takings in this area could be considered a water source protection threat that pose a potential risk to the city’s water supply,” the city stated. “We need more information on proposed water takings to make a full assessment of any impacts.”

The city said the amount of water use proposed is significant since the zoning for the proposed site is classified as “dry industrial.”

There are also gaps in the planning justification report, the city said.

“The report prepared in support of Xinyi’s application doesn’t analyze the merits of the application with respect to water use or existing local policies and regulations,” the city stated. “The report relies on future technical studies being addressed through site plan approval and the permit-to-take-water process. Neither of these processes are appropriate for this purpose.”

The city would also like more information on the plans for wastewater treatment and disposal, increased traffic in the area, how air pollution will be addressed and the impact on emergency services.

During a public consultation meeting in May, Xinyi consultants said the amount of water being taken were below the Ministry of Environment’s standards for a “dry industrial” facility.

Guelph fire officials spoke at that meeting as well and said the facility would have to meet strict building and fire code standards before commencing operation.