April 13, 2026 Update:

In a close vote, the DNV Council has voted to deny the Chemtrade rezoning request. The reasons for their votes varied, but there were concerns over the fact that rezoning to allow the production of chlorine on the site would allow that use in perpetuity, meaning that no future Council could require updated safety systems or apply other changes to the rules governing the use of that land. There were also safety concerns, given the site has seen significant change in the surrounding neighbourhood. Councillor Muri pointed out that a previous owner of the plant had indicated that the production of chlorine there would wind down at some point, and that decisions about land use in the area were made with that in mind. The point was also expressed that the DNV Council didn’t have adequate tools to properly handle this question. Many councillors and the mayor stated that Chemtrade has been a reliable partner, but the decision fell against them regardless. Those voting in favour argued that the plant has been safe, that it can continue to operate safely, and that this was legally a land use decision. The District has no legal authority to regulate rail transport, and as a result that couldn’t factor into their decision.

Those opposing the rezoning were Mayor Little and Councillors Muri, Forbes, and Pope. Councillors Hanson, Back, and Mah supported the rezoning.

With this decision, Chemtrade will have to cease production of chlorine gas at their Amherst facility sometime before their port land lease expires in 2030. How this will impact water purification in Metro Vancouver and elsewhere remains to be seen.

April 2, 2026 Update:

Burnaby’s Council has come out against the Chemtrade rezoning due to the risk resulting from railcar transport of chlorine gas through their city. Interestingly, they did not notify Chemtrade about their meeting and so did not get the company’s perspective directly. What they heard were the findings of a risk analysis paid for by a company that Chemtrade considers a competitor. Since the public hearing happened in February, the DNV Council is legally prohibited from hearing from the Burnaby Council (or anyone else) on the matter. DNV Council will next vote on the matter at an April 13 Council meeting.

February 25, 2026 Update:

The public hearing on the Chemtrade rezoning application was held on February 24 and spilled over into February 25.

This was an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed rezoning that would allow Chemtrade to continue making chlorine at its facility at 100 Amherst Avenue. There was a presentation from District Staff discussing the rezoning specifics, and a presentation from the applicant with additional information. Then public input began, occasionally interrupted to allow DNV staff to answer written questions submitted from Council members. Approximately 18 different people commented on the issue, either in person or over Zoom, and Council received considerable input via email as well. At least two people chose not to speak after signing up to do so. In addition to local residents, there were several speakers who were not local. Some were speaking as subject matter experts, one was a resident of East Palestine, OH, USA, where a major train derailment and hazardous materials spill & fire happened in 2023, and another was legal counsel for one of Chemtrade’s competitors.

As with any topic like this, wildly differing points of view were presented. In the end, the speakers were split approximately 40% for and 60% against the rezoning proposal. There were many times when speakers presented information as factual that disagreed (often significantly) with information presented by other speakers. There was no opportunity to query the veracity of any of the claims made in the meeting or to verify the qualifications of the speakers.

Council is now faced with making a decision on the rezoning question, and input to Council itself is legally closed. They are required to make a decision based on the information they have in hand. Members of the public can still speak to DNV staff about the issue to get answers to questions and raise concerns, but the ability to contact Council itself is over until the matter is voted upon. The issue is tentatively scheduled to come back before Council for second reading on April 13, 2026. Meeting dates can change, however, and we were encouraged to confirm the meeting date on the DNV website a week in advance.

January 13, 2026 Update:

The Chemtrade rezoning application formally came before the DNV Council on the evening of January 12th for the first time. DNV staff were recommending the bylaw be given first reading and referring it to a public hearing. Such a meeting is not actually required, but everyone seemed to agree it is a good idea, and staff noted that public participation and input on this issue has been low.

Council unanimously agreed with the DNV staff recommendation, and the public hearing date is tentatively set for February 24th.

Most of the discussion was in support of the effort. A few questions were raised, however. Some concerned the future – in 2044 – when the lease from the Port of Vancouver might expire. There were a few questions about the normal procedure in cases like this, and it appears the DNV is following the usual path. Some concerns were raised about what happens when the chlorine is put on rail cars and what the safety of those is. Finally, one councillor was concerned that not enough documentation was available, raised issues around the last time this plant had an application before the District, and worried about whether or not the public was prepared enough to handle an emergency properly.

January 9, 2026 Update:

The DNV Council will review a bylaw at their January 12 meeting that would grant Chemtrade the ability to continue producing chlorine at their facility at 100 Amherst Avenue. Council will decide whether to give the bylaw first reading and whether or not to refer it to a public hearing.

October 15, 2025 Update:

Chemtrade submitted their rezoning application to the DNV on September 25, 2025. Their Oct 2025 Newsletter and their Rezoning Flyer describe the application and the process that happens next. See those publications for more details, but in a nutshell:

• Information about their application can be found here on the DNV website: https://www.dnv.org/business-development/100-amherst-avenue as of Oct 22.
• There will be a virtual public meeting Oct 27 – Nov 7, available at www.DNV.org/public-meeting
• There will be an in-person information meeting on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn and Suites, North Vancouver, located at 700 Old Lillooet Rd, North Vancouver, BC.
• Their documents say the typical time to go from application submission to final approval is 15-20 months.

April 10, 2025 Update:

As announced in this press release, Chemtrade has received a non-binding letter of intent from the Port of Vancouver that is the first step in extending their lease and allowing them to continue producing chlorine at their facility through December 31, 2044. Nothing is final yet. Chemtrade still needs zoning approval from the DNV, among other things.

February 12, 2025 Update:

Chemtrade is once again offering tours of their facility for those interested in learning more about what they do. Your editor took such a tour in 2024 and found it very informative. Tours are currently available on a first-come, first-served basis and generally happen between 9:30 and 11 am. If you are interested, contact Amy Jonsson at ajonsson@chemtradelogistics.com to schedule a tour.

December 11, 2024 Update:

Chemtrade’s fourth Community Update (see below) discussed their need to apply for rezoning to improve their safety systems and reduce risk from the activities on site. They expect to submit the application to the DNV in the spring of 2025. There will be public engagement opportunities that go with this application.

Overview:

Chemtrade makes chlorine at their Amherst Avenue site, largely for use in purifying drinking water. Their current lease allows chlorine production until July 2030, and they are looking for a “long-term” lease extension. 

Chlorine gas is a highly toxic chemical, and its production carries risk. That said, it is also highly useful, and all of Metro Vancouver’s drinking water is purified with chlorine made at this plant. Many other water utilities use chlorine from the same source.

The decision to extend the lease – or not – isn’t a simple one, as there is no clearly obvious answer. The documents referenced on this page may be helpful to those seeking information to help them come to an informed decision.

The government entities making the decision about renewing that lease are the Port of Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver. We’re told the DNV is reviewing the issue and looking for public input at this time.

If you’d like to make a comment to the District, you can send an email to the Mayor and Council, or you can attend a meeting and ask to speak on the topic for up to three minutes.

The Port of Vancouver has a Contact Us page on their website.