The Higgs government is being challenged to act after residents and city officials reported another explosion from a metal recycling plant on the west side of Saint John over the weekend.
READ MORE: ‘It was big’: Another explosion reported at AIM recycling facility in Saint John
Raven Blue speaks for Liveable Saint John, a group born from the AIM. situation. He says this goes above and beyond what you would normally expect in an industrial city, and says psycho-social impacts must also be considered..
“If something is routinely causing you a certain level of stress, if you can’t sleep or if you have other pre-existing conditions which in our survey it showed that it does disrupt people’s sleep then that’s a public health problem,” said Blue.
“It’s bigger than just an annoyance.”
The company, which did not return our call, has said the blast did not pose a risk to the public.
WATCH: Saint John mayor calling for meeting with industrial partners after explosion
The newly-elected Liberal MLA for the riding wants quick action on the file, especially given the number of Conservative MLAs, cabinet ministers and the premier himself residing in the greater Saint John area.
“We got the attorney general who looks after Lorneville, we’ve got Minister Dorothy who can hit (the AIM facility) with a rock from where she lives,” said Lowe, referring to Fundy-The Isles-Saint John West MLA Andrea Anderson-Mason and Dorothy Shephard of Saint John Lancaster.
Shephard lives close by and recognizes concerns over air quality, noise and chemicals entering the harbour. She says it’s important to understand the scope of the province’s responsibility.
“We have to make sure that none of the side effects that we’re receiving from American Iron and Metal are beyond what would be a norm,” said Shephard, “so I think that it’s important for us to get to the bottom of that.”
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Liveable Saint John has organized a community meeting on the issue scheduled for Nov. 21.