
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are questions we have received regarding our operations, our products, and why we are engaging with communities. If you have a question that isn’t included below, please reach out to us using the contact form on this website and we will be sure to answer your question and include it in the below list.
Lease renegotiation and rezoning application questions:
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It may seem as though 2030 is far off, however, given the complexities of the process, and the significant role our facility plays in securing Canadian production of liquid chlorine, critical for safe water treatment across Canada, we wanted to ensure that we were engaging early and that there is an opportunity to thoroughly discuss both the potential benefits and risks to the community and Canada. Simply put, we feel that it would be a mistake to no longer have liquid chlorine produced in Western Canada.
We are happy to share that we have entered into a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with the Port to extend our land lease until December 31, 2044 on similar terms and conditions, including the chlorine restriction. You can read our official release here: Chemtrade Provides Update on North Vancouver Chlor-Alkali Facility. While we can’t disclose the terms of the agreement, and it should be noted that the LOI is non-binding and is not a guarantee that we will enter into a new lease, we are of course happy with this development and look forward to a continued positive relationship with the Port.
We continue to focus on our rezoning application with the District of North Vancouver, which would allow for an exception in the current restricted uses and allow us to continue to produce liquid chlorine at our facility. If our application is approved, we will be able to move forward with planned safety improvements which will greatly reduce our facility’s quantitative risk curves, improve overall facility safety, and ensure we continue to be able to produce liquid chlorine, critical for the treatment of drinking water across Canada. You can read more about our proposed safety improvements on our engagement website: Safety page.
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Our facility has been safely operating since 1957, but due to a bylaw passed in 1984, our facility has been operating as a legal non-conformity since that time and has been grandfathered up until this point.
As part of our efforts to secure long-term operations, we are proposing several major capital improvements at our site that will not only increase safety but reduce risk to the community. The most visible project, and the one with the largest ability to reduce risk for the community, is the proposed construction of a building around the current rail car loading area. The building would be equipped with sophisticated air scrubbing technology and would be able to capture and contain any chlorine leaked during rail car loading – completely removing it from the atmosphere.
In order to move forward with construction, we would need a development permit from the District of North Vancouver, which will trigger the need for a rezoning application as the District believes this change meets the threshold of rezoning criteria.
To confirm, we are not increasing our output of any of the materials we produce. We are simply looking to ensure we are correctly zoned so we can move forward with planned safety and risk reduction projects.
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We are applying for rezoning as part of the process to complete our proposed safety improvements, which would dramatically reduce risk for the community – bringing our current risk curves to near or at our property line, while also improving overall facility safety.
When we engaged with the District regarding our planned safety improvements for the facility, they advised us that in order to provide the building permits required for the improvements, we would need to go through the rezoning process to have the manufacturing of liquid chlorine listed as an exemption within the bylaw.
There are a few things that are important to note. The first is that if the rezoning application is approved, there will be no change in how we operate, the products we produce, and the volume of our production. The second is that the facility has been operating safely and reliably in the current location since 1957. And the third is that we are the largest producer of liquid chlorine in Canada, providing over 40 per cent of the chlorine used to treat drinking water in Canada. We know from a 2015 Stats Canada survey, that 96 per cent of Canadian municipalities use chlorine to treat their municipal water supplies.
If the District does not approve our rezoning application, we would be unable to move ahead with our planned safety improvements. This leaves the future of the facility uncertain beyond 2030 and would leave a large gap in the supply chain in both Canada and the US, particularly in Western Canada as the next closest chlor-alkali facility is in Saskatchewan. Recently, the closure of several chlor-alkali facilities across the United States in the coming years has been announced, making it even more unclear as to how this market gap for Western Canada and the Western US would be filled.
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No – we would be unable to. We need development permits from the District of North Vancouver to move forward with the safety improvements as the improvements include capital projects such as the construction of a containment structure around the rail loading area.
If the rezoning application is not successful, we will not be able to apply for development permits so we would not be able to move forward with our safety improvements.
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We are engaging with the District to ensure we are meeting all requirements for rezoning and demonstrating our value to the community - but also our value nationally as the largest domestic supplier of liquid chlorine, critical for safe drinking water here in Canada.
We hope to secure rezoning so we can move forward with our proposed safety improvements, which will greatly reduce potential risk to the community, bringing our current risk curves to near or at our property line, while also improving overall facility safety.
The District would also see immense benefits from our proposed safety improvements. This is because with the reduced risk curves, the District would be able to develop the land outside of our property line without restrictions.
Ultimately, if the District does not approve our rezoning application, we will have to look at our current operations, and what our options are moving forward. Again, this is not our preference as our hope is to be able to move forward with our planned safety improvements which will reduce risk to the community and secure safe drinking water for millions of Canadians.
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Our actual zoning for the land the facility is located on would not change from its existing classification, which is Employment Zone – Industrial. If successful, the rezoning application would allow for the production of chlorine to be listed as an allowable activity for our facility.
Just as a reminder, our facility is located in a heavily industrial area – our neighbors include an active Port, a waste and recycling transfer station, a sodium chlorate facility, an aggregates supplier, and a proposed liquid hydrogen facility.
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The approval of our rezoning application is required so that we can apply for development permits to move forward with our proposed safety improvements. These improvements will make the facility even safer and further reduce potential risk. We would not be increasing production amounts or products manufactured at the facility – production levels would remain consistent.
What we would change is the amount of liquid chlorine stored on site, reducing it from the approximately 94 tonnes which we currently store on site, down to four tonnes. To give you context, using the year 2000 as the benchmark, at that time we stored over 1,600 tonnes of liquid chlorine on site. The reduction to 94 tonnes stored onsite today and planned further reduction to four tonnes following rezoning approval, represents a significant change in how we operate and contributes to our significant reduction in risk profile for the area surrounding our facility.
The transition to four tonnes of storage will require us to move towards a manufacture and ship model, but as our production is not increasing, we do not anticipate an increase in railcars to or from the site.
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This is a common question we receive, and although the question seems simple, the answer has several components.
First, we need to recognize the critical role that our facility plays in supporting safe drinking water. At our North Vancouver facility, we make over 70 per cent of the liquid chlorine used to treat drinking water in BC and Alberta. On a national level, we represent over 40 per cent of the available liquid chlorine. We also need to point out that the facility has been safely operating since 1957, and through continuous investment in projects aimed to modernize the facility, we have continued to increase safety and reliability for the facility, while also significantly reducing risk for the community.
The second is the physical location, and the access the site provides to both an ocean port, and the railway system. We rely on ocean barges to deliver the solar dried ocean salt required for our production, and access to three national railway systems – required for the shipment of our liquid chlorine (in Canada, unless you are connected to your customer via pipeline, the only approved way to transport liquid chlorine is by rail). It should be noted that the Port of Vancouver is the only port in North America connected to all three Class 1 railways that service the Pacific Coast: Canadian National (CN), Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company).
And the third is cost. If we were to rebuild our facility today, the cost would be approximately $1 billion, making it financially unfeasible.
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Since 2010, over $500 million has been invested in modernization projects at the facility, enhancing both safety and reliability. Significant changes have also been made to our operations and the amount of liquid chlorine stored on-site. Using the year 2000 as a benchmark, we have significantly decreased our on-site liquid chlorine storage by over 94 per cent, greatly reducing potential risks to the surrounding area.
As part of our plans to secure long-term operations for our North Vancouver facility, we are proposing several capital improvement projects that will further improve safety and reduce potential risk. The safety improvements we are proposing on-site include the construction of an enclosure around the rail car loading area, along with other changes like the removal of old infrastructure, and other modernization projects.
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At all our sites, including our North Vancouver facility, we implement rigorous safety protocols that begin with production and extend to our products reaching our customers.
Our safety measures include comprehensive employee training, rigorous protocols and procedures throughout every production stage, regular facility safety drills, and thorough emergency response planning. In North Vancouver, we work closely with local first responders, including the North Shore Emergency Management team, and includes providing support for other emergency response initiatives.
As previously stated, we have made significant investments in the continuous modernization of the plant, enhancing both safety and reliability. Additionally, we have changed our operations, resulting in a 96 per cent reduction in on-site liquid chlorine storage compared to levels in the year 2000.
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, Chemtrade is dedicated to enhancing our plant’s operations to ensure the safety of our employees and the local community, while also contributing to the provision of safe drinking water for millions across Canada and the Western United States.
In terms of transporting liquid chlorine, rail transport has proven to be one of the safest and most reliable methods. At Chemtrade, we adhere to rigorous inspection, testing, and monitoring standards for all aspects of product transport.
As a company, we operate in full compliance with Transport Canada rules and regulations. We own, maintain, and operate a fleet of railcars, specifically designed for transporting products – like liquid chlorine, and have numerous safety precautions built into the design. We continuously invest in our fleet to meet the latest safety regulations in both Canada and the US.
In 2023, Chemtrade demonstrated its commitment to safety and excellence by receiving two prestigious awards from Canadian National Railway (CN): the Platinum Award for Zero Process Safety Related Incidents and the Gold Level CN Safe Handling award for no non-accidental releases. In 2022, Chemtrade was awarded the American Association of Railroads Non-Accidental Release (NAR) Grand Slam Award, which is awarded annually to companies that demonstrate excellence in the safe shipping of hazardous materials. To be eligible for the award, a recipient must have received recognition from at least four Class I railroads and have had no non-accident releases involving their shipments in the previous calendar year. (A NAR is an unintentional release of a hazardous material while in transportation, but not involving an accident).
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On a facility level, we are fully automated. The system is continuously monitored by a state-of-the-art system that automatically notifies operators, shuts down and isolates areas within the plant should something outside of the normal operating range be detected. This allows for continuous operation and significantly reduces the chance of an accidental release or incident.
Currently, the site has 72 sensors located throughout the facility, including along the perimeter and in the railcar loading area. The sensors can detect chlorine as low as 0.1 parts per million.
Once the sensors are triggered, automated shut down processes are initiated, isolating the area, and site operators are notified.
In the case of a power outage, the facility is equipped with several safety mechanisms that are immediately deployed and do not require an operator’s support. When the facility loses power, valves are immediately closed, securing the chlorine supply within the system.
If a potential leak or spill is detected, the site launches an immediate response, and as part of our emergency response plan an alert is issued using Alertable. The North Shore Emergency Management team would receive the alert and would further amplify the notification.
At all Chemtrade sites, including the North Vancouver facility, rigorous safety protocols are in place, starting with production and continuing through to our products reaching our customers. Our safety protocols include comprehensive employee training, rigorous safety protocols and procedures throughout every stage of production, facility safety drills, and emergency response planning.
In North Vancouver, we work closely and collaboratively with local first responders, including the North Shore Emergency Management team. This includes providing support for other emergency response initiatives.
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Yes! As part of our plans to secure long-term operations for our North Vancouver facility, we are proposing several capital improvement projects that will further improve safety and reduce potential risk. Through meetings and conversations with the District of North Vancouver to better understand the process to implement these improvements, it became clear that we need to apply for a development permit, which would trigger a rezoning process as well.
We are currently preparing all of the information required for the rezoning application, including the commissioning of several studies.
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Railroads are the safest method for transporting hazardous materials, such as chlorine, across land (Reference AAR.org). Vancouver is the only port city in North America which is serviced by three Class 1 railroads: CN, CPKC and BNSF. On average, freight railways move over six million carloads of goods on behalf of Canadian customers, supporting several industries involved in key commodities.
Chemtrade operates a fleet of leased railcars, all of which have been specifically designed for the transport of our various products, including liquid chlorine, and meet or exceed all required regulatory specifications.
Chemtrade follows all industry and railroad-specific procedures, including mandatory employee training, train speed limits, railcar inspections, rail yard protocols, locomotive operation, and compliance with hazardous material shipping routes. These practices are regulated by both provincial and federal regulations.
Since taking on ownership of the facility in 2017, Chemtrade has never experienced a release of Chlorine during transportation, whether from an accident or a Non-Accidental Release (NAR). In 2022, in recognition of our rigorous safety protocols, Chemtrade was awarded the American Association of Railroads Non-Accidental Release (NAR) Grand Slam Award. This prestigious award is presented annually to companies that are exemplary shippers of hazardous materials who have been recognized by at least four Class I railroads and recorded zero non-accident releases involving their shipments in the previous calendar year. As we look forward to the 2023 awards, Chemtrade has already received recognition from Canadian National Railway (CN), earning both the Platinum award for Zero Process Safety Related Incidents and the Gold Level CN Safe Handling award for no NARs.
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At our facility, as a member of Responsible Care®, the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC), and The Chlorine Institute, we meet or exceed all regulatory requirements, and safety association guidelines, while also being committed to reducing the environmental impact of our activities and improving the health & safety of our employees and the communities in which we operate. We have standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place to ensure the safety of our employees, contractors on site and the surrounding community. In terms of safety in regard to our rail operations, we follow all Canadian and US federal regulations and ensure that our employees receive training and follow all industry and railroad-specific procedures related to the manufacturing, handling, loading, and shipping of liquid chlorine and other products. This includes following strict speed limits, thorough inspections, rail yard practices, and using identified shipping routes for materials deemed hazardous. We maintain and operate a fleet of leased railcars, all of which have been specifically designed for the transport of our various products – like liquid chlorine and meeting all of the required regulatory specifications.
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Chemtrade participates in a Community Advisory Panel, at which it shares updates on its operations, safety plans, procedures, and planned upcoming work or projects. The Panel is free to ask questions, request information, and have been provided with tours of the facility. As a company, we work closely with our neighbours, first responders - specifically North Shore Emergency Management. Any potential incident would be shared with first responders and through the Alertable system. If the public have concerns, they are asked to contact Chemtrade, either through www.askchemtrade.ca, our Facebook page, or by reaching out to Amy Jonsson at ajonsson@chemtradelogistics.com.
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The community and first responders would be notified of any potential risk through the use of the Alertable program, and direct outreach to North Shore Emergency Management. Communication updates would continue to be provided as needed through the system. Updates to local elected officials, First Nations, and the media would also be discussed, and if deemed appropriate, direct communications with those organizations and Nations would begin via email and phone calls.
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All employees are provided safety training which includes on-the-job demonstrations and training, on-line learning, and when required, classroom training. Every employee on site is provided with the required safety equipment for their specific role and can include items such as protective eye wear and clothing, respirators, and high visibility vests. The training is logged and employees are provided with updates about upcoming expiring training so they can rebook and ensure their training remains current.
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The facility is equipped with several layers of automated safety equipment, including backup systems, which would help to prevent or greatly minimize the impact of any potential accidental release of chlorine from the facility.
The system includes 72 sensors, located around the site, that can detect chlorine at less than 1 part per million. If detected, the system will automatically notify operators and begin to shut down and isolate the system. The site also has negative pressure tanks that are capable of capturing all of the chlorine on site if required, and can safely store it for proper disposal. There have also been significant changes in how liquid chlorine is stored, reducing onsite storage of liquid chlorine by over 94 per cent using the year 2000 as the benchmark (onsite storage in the year 2000 was up to 1,600 tonnes, while today’s storage is up to 93 tonnes) which greatly reduces the impact and risk from a potential release incident.
All of this being said, in the unlikely event that an accidental release occurs, it is highly unlikely that the chlorine would travel uphill to higher elevations. The liquid chlorine would immediately change from a liquid to a gas, as it will not remain as a liquid under ambient conditions (chlorine needs to be chilled to -32C to convert to a liquid). Once in its gaseous form, chlorine is two and a half times heavier than air and tends to sink rapidly to ground level and flow downhill, pooling in lower areas. Once exposed to the elements – wind, water, rain, temperature, and sunlight - it will begin to quickly break down. Given the right circumstances, chlorine can be moved by strong wind, but that action would help to further dilute and breakdown the chlorine. In water, like the ocean, which is directly to the south of the facility, the gas would dissolve, converting to chloride and hypochlorous acid – both of which are not harmful to the environment.
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The risk curves have been developed for us by an independent company, BakerRisk, using the latest in software and data to develop updated quantitative risk curves, known as the QRA curves, which signify the level of risk presented to an individual, as well as restrictions on types of development allowed within each level of risk, or curve.
The current QRA maps that both we, and the District of North Vancouver use for planning purposes, show the rings extended across the Dollarton Highway and to the east and west of the facility. Although this map is slightly dated thanks to new and emerging technology, it still provides a snapshot of areas we need to be aware of should we have an accidental release.
The risk within each curve is defined as:
Within the 10-4 curve, the risk is described as one fatality within 10,000 years, and is comparable, or presents the same risk as working in a manufacturing plant.
Within the 10-5 curve, the risk is described as one fatality in a hundred thousand years, and is comparable, or presents the same risk as a pedestrian being fatally struck by a car.
Within the 10-6 curve, the risk is described as one fatality in a million years, and is comparable, or presents the same risk as travelling on a commercial airplane.
*It should be noted, that outside of the 10-6 curve, there are no restrictions on allowable developments or land uses, and the risk to an individual is the same as if the facility wasn’t in place.
BakerRisk developed updated modeling for us, based on the completion of our proposed safety projects, which show the impact the projects would have on the QRA curves for the facility. The overall reduction in the curves is dramatic and eliminates the majority of risk for the community at, or near, our facility property line.
The safety improvements we are proposing on-site include the construction of an enclosure around the rail car loading area, along with other changes like the removal of old infrastructure, and other modernization projects. Through meetings and conversations with the District of North Vancouver to better understand the process to implement these improvements, it became clear that we need to apply for a development permit, which would trigger a rezoning process as well.
We are currently preparing all of the information required for the rezoning application, including the commissioning of several studies.
View the risk curves and proposed safety improvements on our Safety page.
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In Canada, aside from those facilities that are directly connected to a customer via pipeline, the only way to transport liquid chlorine is by rail. Given this, movement of chlorine is highly regulated to ensure the safe movement of chlorine from loading, through to delivery to customers.
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Chemtrade maintains and operates a fleet of leased next-generation railcars, all meeting the latest regulatory specifications and industry standards for the shipment of our chlorine. The cars themselves have several layers of protection – from roll-over protection bars to increased shell thickness, and are the safest way to transport liquid chlorine.
Our cars are inspected when they arrive at site, then again before they are loaded. If any defects are found during either pre-loading inspection, the cars are immediately pulled into our onsite railcar shed for repair. The cars are inspected again after loading to ensure they are safely sealed and ready for transport.
Our cars also have a regular maintenance schedule, with a full car overhaul scheduled for every three years. In general, the life span of a chlorine railcar is approximately 25 years.
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While we have the space to store up to 270 railcars at our site at any given time, the number of cars on site can vary from one day to the next.
We looked at data from full years 2023, 2024 and the beginning of 2025, to determine some averages. Using this data, we have determined that on average, we have approximately 251 railcars on our site. Within that, however, we can go even deeper to provide additional details.
The average number of rail cars that are sitting empty on our site at any given time is 159, which accounts for over 63 per cent (63.3%) of the total cars on site. In comparison, at any given time, we have an average of 32 cars containing liquid chlorine on our site, representing just under 13 per cent (12.7%) of all cars on our site. The remaining 24 per cent (24%) of railcars are a combination of those that contain caustic soda (27 cars) and hydrochloric acid (28 cars).
Safety related questions
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Our facility employs 118 fulltime, permanent staff members. Based on 2022 data, our annual payroll exceeds $21 million, and we contribute more than $165 million annually to the BC and Canadian economies through spending with suppliers, contractors, and businesses. The operations and activities at our facility either directly or indirectly support the production of three products – chlorine, caustic soda, and hydrochloric acid – and one co-product, green hydrogen produced by the facility.
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There is very little waste, none of it hazardous, generated by the production of chlorine. There are only three byproducts of the process: hydrogen gas, a calcium/magnesium solid material that comes from the purification of the sea salt, and brine sludge. Again, none of these are hazardous, and in fact we do sell a portion of the hydrogen produced as a clean energy source. The brine sludge and the calcium/magnesium solid material are both safely disposed of at the local landfill. It should be noted that the facility is one of the lowest carbon facilities, using green hydro-electric power (from BC Hydro).
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In short, the answer to both questions is no. We are not increasing our production so we would not require any additional rail car transport. We currently operate with a very limited amount of liquid chlorine stored onsite (our maximum storage is up to 93 tonnes, down from 1,600 tonnes stored onsite in the year 2000), so the further change to a “produce and ship” operating model will not impact or create additional railcar traffic. Currently we have an average of four rail cars arriving and leaving our site on a daily basis. We do not anticipate that this will change. This also means that we do not anticipate an increase in the amount of switching or shunting of onsite railcars.
The movement and storage of liquid chlorine is highly regulated, including caps on the number of cars that can be stored onsite. We would continue as we operate now, which is to securely load our products and then ship at the earliest possible opportunity.
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As a facility that is located in the Port of Vancouver, we are committed to working with municipal, provincial, federal and First Nations emergency preparedness planning.
General facility questions
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By our estimates, our North Vancouver facility produces over 40 per cent of the liquid chlorine in Canada. This represents over 70 per cent of the liquid chlorine available in Alberta and BC. Additionally, we are a key supplier to the US, delivering up to 60 per cent of the chlorine for the Western US.
Chlorine is most commonly used for water treatment. A 2015 study by Statistics Canada revealed that over 96 per cent of Canadian communities, representing more than 30.7 million Canadians, depend on chlorine to treat their municipal drinking water.
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We cannot share customer information, however, we can share that most of the liquid chlorine we produce is used to treat municipal drinking water systems. Our estimates show that our facility provides over 70 per cent of the liquid chlorine available in Western Canada (BC and Alberta), which equates to over 40 per cent of the total liquid chlorine available in Canada. Additionally, we supply up to 60 per cent of the liquid chlorine available in the Western United States.
A survey conducted by Statistics Canada in 2015 found that 96 per cent of municipalities, representing over 30.7 million Canadians, relied on chlorine to treat their municipal drinking water supply.
The loss of liquid chlorine production at our facility would significantly impact its availability, particularly in Western Canada, including BC and Alberta, as well as across Canada and the Western United States.
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Three other facilities produce chlorine in Canada – one in Saskatchewan, and two in Quebec. Our North Vancouver facility produces more than 40 per cent of Canada’s liquid chlorine, which accounts for over 70 per cent of the available supply in BC and Alberta.
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As with most chemicals, transporting and storing chlorine presents challenges. Chlorine needs to be shipped in specially designed railcars.
There are also production capacity issues, both in Canada and the US. Recently, the US implemented two significant policy changes: the first ensures domestic availability of chlorine, the second limits the use of asbestos diaphragms in the production of chlorine which starts to come into effect by 2029. This ruling will impact eight US facilities, accounting for 30 per cent of North American production.
Given the substantial production we represent in Canada, with 40 per cent of the national supply and over 70 per cent of the supply in BC and Alberta, replacing this significant amount of chlorine within the domestic market is a challenge. Our facility currently supplies up to 60 per cent of the Western US’s chlorine. Removing our production would significantly increase demand in the US.
The pandemic underscored the importance of establishing and maintaining a reliable domestic supply chain, especially for products essential to the health of Canadians.
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The environmental impact from the production process for chlorine is minimal and does not generate any hazardous waste material or pollution. The overall carbon footprint of the site is very low due to the fact we use green hydroelectricity (BC Hydro supplied), and the salt used in the manufacturing process is solar dried sea salt. Overall, the facility is one of the greenest chlor-alkali facilities in the world.
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Bleach as a product is very rarely, if ever, used in large-scale water treatment and comes with its own challenges – such as very limited shelf life (depending on the dilution ratio, the product can break down within hours, or last as long as six months), and due to the diluted but still hazardous nature, requires special transportation via secure rail car, and less commonly, transport trailer. The diluted nature also presents challenges in terms of volumes – requiring significantly more available transport methods to ship the product to achieve the same level of protection provided by liquid chlorine. This not only adds to the cost for municipalities, but also increases the carbon footprint of the product.
Given all of these limitations, using bleach is not a reasonable or practical solution for large-scale water treatment.
We know that 96 percent of municipalities in Canada use chlorine to treat their domestic water supplies. Although the actual product used by municipalities to treat varies, but we do know it is some form of chlorine, chloramine, or chlorine dioxide. All three of these products can be easily created using liquid chlorine. As it stands, safe and responsible liquid chlorine remains the most responsible and safest method of securing drinking water for millions of Canadians.
Learn more about water treatment in BC: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/drinking- water-chlorination-facts. The need for chlorine in securing safe drinking water supplies was also just highlighted in a recent Vancouver Sun article, which you can find here: Water has flowed from our taps for 100 years. What about the next 100? | Vancouver Sun
Water treatment questions