Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Our intention is to move forward with the strategic improvements as suggested by the BakerRisk risk reduction modeling to significantly reduce any potential risk to the community from continued liquid chlorine production. This investment will require initial engineering studies and a full estimation process as well as regulatory permits and an extension of Chemtrade’s lease for adjacent Port lands, used for both operations and to import salt for production. As an organization who prioritizes safety above all else, we are willing to begin this work, and do not expect the cost to be an impediment to our desire to move forward.

These risk reduction projects will require time to complete, as they would need to be completed during facility maintenance shutdowns, which are scheduled every two years.

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).

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.

Our intention is to move forward with the strategic improvements as suggested by the BakerRisk risk reduction modeling to significantly reduce any potential risk to the community from continued liquid chlorine production. This investment will require initial engineering studies and a full estimation process as well as regulatory permits and an extension of Chemtrade’s lease for adjacent Port lands, used for both operations and to import salt for production. As an organization who prioritizes safety above all else, we are willing to begin this work, and do not expect the cost to be an impediment to our desire to move forward.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

If we secure the ability to continue to operate for the long-term, we will proceed with several projects aimed at reducing risk to the community and even further improving safety. The largest of these projects would be the construction of a building around the rail loading area, which would be equipped with air scrubber technology. In the remote possibility of a leak or accidental release, the building would be able to capture the air, run it through a scrubbing process, and remove the chemical from the air.

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.

View the risk curves and proposed safety improvements on our Safety page.