Ontario government ignored health warnings from its own engineers about Sarnia’s Chemical Valley, report claims – Thestar.com

A report comes to light after an investigation by journalists, including the Star, revealed a pattern of potentially-dangerous leaks and secrecy in Sarnia’s Chemical Valley.

Oct. 17, 2017

Ontario’s environment ministry ignored warnings raised by its own engineers about public safety at petrochemical plants in Sarnia’s Chemical Valley, alleges a report leaked following a joint investigation by journalists, including the Star.

The report was presented to the staff of Ontario Environment Minister Chris Ballard on Sept. 20. It alleges the ministry has for years ignored concerns from the First Nations community of Aamjiwnaang — surrounded on three sides by petrochemical plants — and dismissed engineers’ worries about the risk of industrial leaks with possibly irreversible health impacts.

The engineers have been raising concerns about public safety in the communities surrounding Ontario petrochemical plants since 2009, says the report, prepared by their union, the Professional Engineers Government of Ontario (PEGO).

Read More: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/10/17/ontario-government-ignored-health-warnings-from-its-own-engineers-about-sarnias-chemical-valley-report-claims.html