According to the Province, in 2012 they changed the procedural rules for such operations and their hearings. It was made more transparent in regards to public notification and participation in the process. It includes a proponents submission (Site Assessment), public comments within a 30-day period, proponent responses to public comments, the Technical Review and municipal decision, all accessible on a website. One of the big changes is the notification of the public of the upcoming Technical Review and accepting comments prior to the hearing from those in the immediate area or within three kilometres of the planned development.
Previously, the public only could comment during the Conditional Use Hearing done at the municipal level.
Public notices were posted, and those within the three km area were also informed by letter of the proposed project and were given until May 6 to respond with their views on the development. In the case of the HyLife plan, many did. As of Wednesday, there were 13 letters on the site for public view.
One couple in the area that did respond was Pat and Cathy Workman. They live in the Municipality of Grassland about two and a half miles north of where the barns would be located. Cathy Workman said they received the notice of the potential development, but heard about it before, with Pat attending the HyLife public meeting in Boissevain earlier in 2019. She added they looked at what the website provided, which also directed them to Boissevain-Morton for information. However, all they gave was the street address for the municipal office. Workman was surprised that there was not more info locally, and she did talk to Boissevain-Morton officials including Head of Council Judy Swanson. Overall, she said there was not a lot of public comment on the issue, and she wanted to get the information around.
“The council hadn’t heard a lot from the public, so we wanted more people to get involved,” Workman explained. “We wanted to get the public to contact them and the Province and get their voices out.”
There were many concerns about the project, Workman said. For one, there is the smell that inevitably comes from a hog operation. She realizes they have cattle, and there is odour that comes from that during times of the year, but hog barns tend to provide the scent all year long.
“We’re not necessarily against people putting up a barn, but maybe not so many animals. It seems like the smell is around all the time.”
Overall, there are environmental concerns too, such as the possibility of waste getting into groundwater.
There is another issue too. Although HyLife prides itself in working with communities and being a Manitoba-based company, this is not necessarily true any more. It was recently announced that 50.1% of the company would be purchased by CPF, a conglomerate based in Thailand. On top of this, in 2012, the Japanese company Itochu Corp. had bought more than 30% of HyLife. For some, this is a warning flag.
“That is a concern too,” Workman said. “It is not a Manitoba company. They promote themselves as a community-based business, but we are concerned about how much control they will have. It is about how it will be managed.”
Her concerns are echoed through most of the public letters on the subject. Air quality being damaged and thereby hurting the quality of life comes up in all, whether the respondent be in Boissevain-Morton or Grassland, and not only where the barn is itself, but where the manure would be spread. There are concerns regarding the water, particularly if it finds its way into the Elgin Creek or Dam. Also, there are issues with rural roads. Although the official travel route for hogs in and out of the facility would be by Highway #343, most feel it will be municipal roads that will be hit. The municipality has struggled enough with keeping them usable, they feel, and the big trucks with pigs will make it worse, and cost more tax dollars to fix them. There are concerns about the money going out of the area, not enough tax dollars or employment at the operation to balance the negatives and similar complaints.
One of the big red flags for many is that the family that has applied for the conditional use permit and whose land would host the operation, the Perkins family of the Elgin-Fairfax area, do not live close to the barns, so will not have to deal with the immediate issue.
“It’s going to be a lot of animals in one area. We’re not against private business, and we like jobs in the area. But we’re worried the benefits do not outweigh the costs.”
According to the Province, the first step is usually for the applicant to get Conditional Use Permit from the municipality, which Scott Perkins applied for with Boissevain-Morton. Then the Province does a Technical Review, which looks at a number of different issues, such as the plans for manure storage, protection of water, setbacks, shelterbelts and other aspects of the project. These can be viewed at https://www.gov.mb.ca/mr/livestock/pubs/site_assessment.pdf
The feeling is the Technical Review will be finished this week. This will be posted on the Public Registry and a copy will be sent to Boissevain-Morton. If all goes as planned, the municipality will then set up a Conditional Use Hearing, a public meeting, to decide on the project. Right now, Boissevain-Morton is in the process of receiving public responses, including some from people close to the project.
Workman said they want people to keep contacting council members with their feelings on the project. She added they are waiting for the Conditional Use Hearing.
“We want people to give their opinions,” she said. “We need some more information, that is always good. It helps to make educated decisions. We’re not up in arms, but we are concerned about the quality of life we will have.”
The specific site assessment of the Hylife Merlot Nursery (TRC-12-053) with maps, public comments and other information can be accessed at https://www.gov.mb.ca/mr/livestock/public_registries.html
by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff