Eyes turn to AIM's other N.B. sites for moving scrap through N.B.

A metal recycling company whose operations are underscrutiny in New Brunswick has said in court documents that it is seeking another location to ship scrap.

American Iron and Metal's port facility in Saint John has been inoperable since a major fire in September. It had increased use of itsMonctonfacility, which has direct rail access, but earlier this month it consented to no longer accept new scrap at the site as part of a plan to bring it into fire-code compliance.

The company, known as AIM, has a range of other locations around New Brunswick, but in court documents filed last month it says it is looking for another place to move its material.

The filing says it's taking steps to reduce the amount of scrap at its sitesinMoncton, Saint John and Fredericton by attempting to "secure atransloadfacility that would allow materials to be transported to a new location for shipment," getting approvals from the province for that facility and securing more railcars.

Transloadingrefers to moving goods from one method of transport, such astrucks to anothersuch asrail.

The document doesn't say what locations are being considered.The company did not respond to a request for comment this week.

Beyond its locations in the three major cities, AIM owns sites inBathurst,ShediacandHeron Bay, which includes the former community of Dalhousie.

BothShediacandHeron Bay sites have unused railway lines.

WATCH | See AIM's location in the Scoudouc Industrial Park:

A look at AIM's old scrapyard in Shediac

10 months ago

Duration 0:45

American Iron and Metal has pledged to stop accepting scrap at several of its N.B. sites, raising questions about how it may use other locations it owns, such as this one in Shediac along an old rail line.

The location inShediacis within theScoudoucIndustrial Park, an area added to the town as part of local governance reforms that was once serviced by a CN Rail spur line.

CN Rail didn't answer whether the spur line remains active or whether there have been any discussions about using it, directing questions to AIM.

On Tuesday, several vehicles could be seen on the site, including an excavator near piles of material.

ShediacMayor RogerCaissiesaid the property was ascrapyardbefore AIM owned it. Property records show AIM has owned the site since 2013.

Caissiesaid it was his understanding the site had been undergoing decontamination work. It remains zoned for heavy industry, which would allow ascrapyard.

Caissiesaid it would be up to the province to issue approvals for ascrapyard, not the municipality.

"[We] haven't heard anything from this company recently, or even in the last few years," the mayor said in an interview.

The provincial government didn't provide an interview or answer questions Wednesday about whether AIM already has, or is seeking, approvals for ascrapyardat theScoudoucsite.

Caissiesaid his understanding is that CN had no intention to resume service on the spur line, which he said hasn't been in use for years and would require work by CN to make it usable again.

InHeron Bay, the company owns large parcels where theAbitibiBowaterpaper mill once stood.

MayorNormandPelletiertold Radio-Canada that people in that area wonder whether AIM will want to use the site as ascrapyard.

Pelletierexpressed concern about the possibility of ascrapyardat the site close to homes, suggesting a more feasible location for the company would be thePort ofBelledune,which also has rail access.