Tonight’s meeting of Sackville town council will feature a public hearing on changes to allow for an abattoir, or small slaughterhouse, to be built at 72 Crescent Street in the Sackville Industrial Park.
A public hearing is required before council can approve the bylaw changes and development agreement with farmer Chris Pierce.
The bylaw changes will specifically allow for abattoirs that are at least 100 metres from the nearest dwelling. The proposed abattoir location on Crescent Street is 116 metres from the nearest home, according to a report prepared by planner Lori Bickford.
Bickford’s report says the proposed abattoir will process cattle, sheep and swine, with approximately 15 head of cattle a week being slaughtered and processed at the operation. However there is no mention of the proposed number of animals in the draft development agreement published on the Southeast Regional Service Commission website.
The bylaw changes would require that all activities of the abattoir happen inside the site building, and there would be no outdoor fencing or holding areas.
Pierce is proposing to build an underground storage tank to collect blood which would later be transported out, or possibly disposed of in the municipal sewer system. An influent-effluent study would be required to assess impacts on the town’s wastewater lagoons.
The abattoir would need to meet the province’s Abattoir Waste & Carcass Disposal Guidelines, and Pierce proposes to remove waste such as bones and hides from the site daily.
If the development agreement is approved, Pierce will need a building permit and license to operate from the provincial department of health before construction can begin.
Bickford’s report says the licensing process includes regulations on housing the livestock, cleaning requirements, transportation, waste disposal and odour suppression systems for certain activities.
Bickford says the abattoir is supported by the town’s sustainability plan. “A local abattoir will contribute to the local food supply system and economy by processing and retailing locally,” reads the report.
One objection has been registered against the proposed by-law changes. Les and Faye Hicks wrote to council to express their strong opposition to the proposal, citing, “poor working conditions and long term psychological damage to slaughterhouse workers,” as well as, “potential health and environmental concerns.”
The public hearing will take place online tonight at 7pm, during Sackville town council’s monthly meeting.
PDF documents regarding the abattoir are available on the Southeast Regional Service Commission website, or right here:
Draft by-law change:
https://www.nbse.ca/media-planning/notices/By-law244-Jpost.pdf
Draft development agreement:
https://www.nbse.ca/media-planning/notices/By-law244-Kdraftpost.pdf
