Committee speaking out about ongoing odour issue calls for N.B. minister's resignation

A group of residents in the Richibucto, N.B., area are calling for the resignation of a provincial minister.

The Kent Clean Air Action Committee (KCAAC) has written a letter to New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs asking for the resignation of Daniel Allain.

The Minister of Local Government and Governance Reform met with three members of the KCAAC last Saturday about an ongoing odour issue coming from the Coastal Shell Products plant in Richibucto.

In a news release sent by the KCAAC late Friday afternoon, the committee says Allain was "dismissive" and "aggressive" during the meeting.

When reached late Friday afternoon, Allain declined to comment on the news release.

Saturday's meeting was held to discuss possible solutions about the smell coming from the shell drying facility that processes waste from the seafood industry and turns it into a variety of products including fertilizer.

Residents in the area have been complaining about the smell for years, and the KCAAC has been asking the province to come up with a solution.

According to the news release, KCAAC chairperson JoAnne Robichaud was so upset with the tone of the meeting that she sent a complaint directly to Higgs calling for Allain to step down from his post.

On Tuesday, co-chair Claudette Robichaud told CTV News Allain was "sympathetic" toward their cause and gave no indication of any hostility during the meeting.

Allain called the meeting "great" in an interview with CTV News on Tuesday and said he's trying to work with all parties to find a solution to the smell coming from the facility.

“We understand what the citizens are going through,” said Allain on Tuesday.

On two separate occasions, Allain has told CTV News that, as far as he knows, the plant is not violating any provincial regulations.

The plant is currently allowed to operate from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily.

CTV News has made several attempts in the past three weeks to get in touch with a representative from Coastal Shell Products, but emails and phone calls have not been returned.