N.B. government not renewing licence for AIM Recycling in Moncton

New Brunswick will not be renewing the licence for the AIM facility in Moncton.

The New Brunswick government will not be renewing the licence for the American Iron & Metal (AIM) facility in Moncton, citing problems with the site’s noise complaints.

AIM Recycling, which operates on Toombs Street, received a letter from Minister of Public Safety Robert Gauvin on Friday about the decision not to renew the licence.

“I acknowledge the Toombs site has been licensed for an extended period, either as operated by AIM or its predecessor; however, each time the licence is renewed I am required to undertake an assessment of whether the site meets the statutory requirements and that granting the licence would be in the public interest,” Gauvin said in the letter.

The metal recycling facility has received numerous complaints from residents in recent years. Gauvin noted AIM had taken steps to deal with those complaints, particularly in regards to noise, including building a wall of shipping containers to reduce the sound.

In 2023, AIM was fined $292.50 for operating without a licence at the Toombs Street location.

In the letter, Gauvin said the province had to consider if the salvage yard was within 300 metres of a public playground, public park or school when issuing a licence.

“I find, based on all of the information reviewed and after considering all of the submissions made on behalf of AIM, that the AIM Toombs Street location is located within 300 m of a public playground, public park or school and is therefore not in compliance with Section 12 of the Unsightly Premises Act and a salvage dealer licence for this location may not be issued or renewed,” Gauvin said. “I am also satisfied given all of the factors and information reviewed, that it is not in the public interest to issue a licence as a salvage dealer or renew a licence as a salvage dealer for the AIM Toombs Street location.”

Community response

Monique Bernard lives on Palisade Drive near the AIM operation in the Lewisville neighbourhood.

She’s been leading community efforts for the past few years to have AIM shut down or relocated to a non-residential neighbourhood.

In an email to CTV News Atlantic, Bernard thanked Gauvin for revoking the salvage dealer’s licence on Toombs Street.

She also shared her gratitude to the province, the City of Moncton and Moncton East MLA Alexandre Cédric Doucet.

“A heavy industrial operation should not be surrounded by residents, children centers, public parks or a nature trail,” said Bernard.

Bernard said living with the noise coming from the salvage yard has had an impact on her mental health and overall well-being.

“We have the right to reasonable enjoyment from within our homes and this had been stripped from us by AIM’s disturbances for far too long,” said Bernard.

JoAnn McCarthy lives a few hundred metres away from the facility and said the noise has been unbearable at times.

She was thrilled to hear about AIM’s licence not being renewed.

“I am over the moon. Absolutely over the moon, but I’m also waiting for the other shoe to fall. I find it difficult to believe that it’s actually happened, although it’s nice and quiet here right now,” said McCarthy.

McCarthy believes she and the other people who live in the Lewisville neighbourhood of Moncton still have a fight ahead of them.

“This little light industrial area is right in the middle of the city and it needs to not be here anymore. It needs to move further away,” said McCarthy.

The last couple of years have been “hell” and “unpleasant” for McCarthy, but she said a silver lining is she’s gotten to know many of her neighbours as they’ve come together in their efforts to have the noise from the salvage yard stopped.

As far as any possible job losses go, McCarthy said that’s not what she wants to see.

“We don’t want anybody to lose their job. I think they can just move. We don’t want them to stop business, just move to a more appropriate area,” she said.

AIM made efforts to mitigate the nose last fall by building a massive wall of container ships, but many residents didn’t feel it worked.

“If anything, there’s more echoes than before, otherwise there’s no difference, it’s still quite disruptive,” Bernard told CTV News late last year.

MLA Doucet said he’s spoken to several residents over the past year or so about the noise.

“Obviously since the news has come out, residents are very happy. Many months ago I was knocking on some doors and this was the number one local priority I heard at the doors so obviously I am very happy today,” said Doucet.

Doucet said the company has 90 days to do a judicial review and as a government they will follow the process.

CTV News reached out to AIM for comment but did not hear a response by deadline.

-With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Derek Haggett

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