Waste

wood waste landfill at Bliss Landing

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A numbered company called 1265209 B.C. Ltd. intends to develop a wood waste landfill at Bliss Landing, just across from Cortes Island on the Malaspina Peninsula.

Bliss Landing
Adapted from Google Maps by Roy L Hales
Proposed development on the old mill site in Squamish – courtesy city of Squamish

Environmental application: Bliss Landing

According to their environmental protection application, filed by Strategic management Consultant Jeff Levine on November 17th, “The maximum rate of industrial wood waste residue discharged from this facility will be 375,000 m3 over a 15-month period. The operating period for this facility will be 8am to 5pm 5 days per week. The refuse discharged, will contain saw dust, wood chips, hog fuel, end cuts of wood less than 1 metre in length, dredging’s of wood waste, sand, gravel, rocks, inert waste and inert cover material. All material will be non-hazardous and covered through intermediate cover material until the landfill is completed (15 months) and a final low-permeability cover will be put on top and soils and vegetation will be replanted.” 

Before the qathet Regional District Board

The matter was brought before the qathet Regional District Board on December 8th. According to a report in the Powell River Peak, Powell River City director George Doubt calculated the project works out to moving 81 dump truck loads of wood waste, with a pup trailer, per day, five days a week over a 15 month period.   

To which qRD planner Julia Dykstra replied, “They are planning on barging it from the Squamish area to the actual location and they are not proposing any road use over the Sarah Point Road at all.”

Area where the wood materials for Bliss Landing originate
Map showing the Waterfront Landing area – city of Squamish

Where the waste is not coming from

Some opponents of the project are concerned about waste materials, “coming from a site in Squamish that is notorious for contamination from industrial activity, including a nearby mine.”

According to Dykstra, “They are proposing that the wood waste is coming from a mill that has been closed for about 30 years in Squamish.”

This is the old Interfor sawmill site in Squamish, which was operational during the 1980s and 90’s. Waterfront Landing is on the eastern shore of Mamquam Blind Cannel, across from the downtown core. The city plans to use this former industrial site for mixed density housing, a marina and a park. 

The Squamish site was an example

Levine said he used the Squamish site as an example of what could be done. He does not have a contract there, or anywhere – yet. If he can open a waste wood landfill, there are potential clients throughout the province. (More tomorrow)

In 2011, Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation retained Hemmera to evaluate the in-situ quality of sediment from the Mamquam Blind Channel, which runs beside the old mill site. There were traces of copper, mercury, and chemicals associated with creosote in the pilings, The only chemicals considered to be ‘potential constituents of concern’, if the dredgeate is used as soil, were sodium and chloride ion.

What about the mill site itself?

In their description of the proposed development at Waterfront Landing park, the city states, “previous industrial use has led to some site contamination.”  

According to a 2019 article in the Squamish Chief, Municipal environmental co-ordinator Caroline Ashekian informed the Squamish council that “the waste [in Waterfront Landing] wouldn’t contaminate the area, but it could result in structural instability.”

Tla’amin approval

On November 18th, 2020, Levine, notified the qathet Regional District that, “We have completed the required First Nation consultation and have received a letter of support for the project from the Tla’amin Nation.” 

People concerned about this project

People concerned about the project have until this Wednesday, December 16th, to send in their comments:

Links of Interest:

Top photo credit: A Cortes Island sunset by judymcritchley via Flickr (CC NY SA, 2.0 License)

This program was funded by a grant from the Community Radio Fund of Canada and the Government of Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative. 

9 thoughts on “wood waste landfill at Bliss Landing”

  1. THIS IS A TOXIC DUMP in DESOLATION SOUND! SIGN THE PETITION TO STOP THIS: http://chng.it/Y48xspM6GX

    I strongly urged anyone passionate about Desolation Sound to contact the Government (authorizations.south@gov.bc.ca) and the applicant (jeff@jlamc.ca) about this contaminated waste discharge site application (#110495). Also, reach out to the qRD (administration@qathet.ca) and Minister of Environment (ENV.minister@gov.bc.ca) to voice your concerns.

    TAKE ACTION!

  3. Pingback: Wood waste landfill proposal withdrawn - Cortes Currents

  5. Ridiculous application, Mr Jeff Lavine & the Bosa Family. Only Butchard or VanDusen Botanical Gardens would be a more inappropriate dumping ground for your contaminated waste than the world famous Desolation Sound Marine Park. Withdraw your application, for the same reason Lehigh Hanson Materials Ltd. did in 2018: Desolation Sound is no place for industry, or industry waste.

  6. https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5842071

    Jeff Lavine, the Bosa family and the Tla’amin First Nation should walk away from this bone headed application to dump 375,000m3 waste into the Desolation Sound Marine Park.

    If this waste is not contaminated, why does Squamish demand removal prior to Bosa’s development project?

    How is this $400,000 not Bosa’s cost?

    Does the Tla’amin First Nation have all governance approval?

    Why is provincial & federal approval not required for this ocean dump?

    Read the room, people…I’m looking at you, Bosa family.

    1. The answer to one of your questions is in a July 10, 2019 article in the Squamish Chief about the old mill site in Squamish, “Municipal environmental co-ordinator Caroline Ashekian said that since the area was a former industrial area, creating a park in that area would create a net benefit for wildlife there.

      Coun. Armand Hurford said that the wood waste buried at the site might have to be dug up.

      Hurford asked the proponents to be cautious in this matter as it may require changes to the park.

      Ashekian said the waste wouldn’t contaminate the area but it could result in structural instability. Staff are waiting for studies to see what the next step would be, she said.” https://www.squamishchief.com/news/local-news/squamish-council-makes-wishlist-for-waterfront-landing-park-1.23880810

  7. Pingback: New Revelations: proposed Bliss Landing wood waste landfill

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