'Like a bunch of dead skunks:' Montreal residents frustrated with dead animal stench

Residents of Rivire-des-PrairiesPointe-aux-Trembles, frustrated after years of dealing with pungent smells from a local animal-rendering plant, have launched a campaign to get the plantrelocated.

Theo Vecera has lived in RDP for over 14 years. He is one of almost 600 residents who have signed a petition asking for the plant to be moved somewhere else.

He said while the smell has been bothersome for years,it's been particularly bad in recent months.

It is so strong that Vecera feels embarrassed to invite people to his backyard. He says heoften prefers to stay inside rather than take advantage of his pool.

"It's a smell of dead animals," said Vecera. "The way I best describe it is like a bunch of dead skunks all together and you just step on them."

His 11-year-old daughter, Kylee Vecera, remembers the stench since she was around eight.

"I go inside right away because sometimes it just makes you sick. You don't want to smell it," she said.

Last October, a truck on its way to the rendering plant made a hard stop, causing animal guts and entrails to spill out from underneath a loose tarpaulin. The remains scattered on the road, sidewalkand trees.

The incident ignited calls for the plant to be more careful with its shipments.

Plant apologizes, promises improvements

The rendering plant, Sanimax, is located on Maurice-DuplessisBoulevard,near a residential area.

The plant's general manager, Eric Caputo, acknowledged that the smell can be bad, but said the company is actively looking for solutions.

"We acknowledge that we have had some issues this summer and we apologize for that. We always seek better ways and we want to continue to improve,"he said."We are determined.We are in action."

In a letter sent to residents, Sanimax said it would be implementing measures by the end of September, such as changing the route their trucks take and keeping an odour-reduction system running even when the factory is closed.

But residents remain sceptical.

"I'm glad that there's some positive steps there, but those steps should've been done way back," said Vecera."We're not convinced at all that they're going to be able to back up their words with actions."

Rivire-des-PrairiesPointe-aux-Trembles Caroline Bourgeois said she's glad the company is taking action, but she also insisted that more needs to be done.

"Sanimax needs to continue to work on other permanent measures. We have to see improvements now," she said.

Earlier this year, the borough set up a hotline where residents can report any strange odours.

According to a spokesperson for the borough, Sanimax has been issuedover $890 000 in fines since 2014for violating environmental regulations.Several of those fines are being contested in court.