The Site History
Areas near the waterfront have been used for industrial activity since the turn of the 20th century. Starting around 1910, rail lines traversed the site to allow the shipment of commodities out of the community including: forest products, minerals, and more recently chemicals used in the pulp and paper industries. Industrial uses continued throughout the 20th century until the 1990s, when the forestry and supporting industries declined. Following is a summary timeline of Industrial Uses and Subsequent Remediation.
1965: Chlor-alkali plant built on the Squamish River estuary by FMC Canada.
1970: A waste water treatment plant is built to treat water used in chemical processing.
1973 to 1992: Nexen operates a sodium chlorate plant and the chlor alkali plant on the peninsula.
1989: Nexen purchases the chlor alkali plant.
1991: The plant is decommissioned and the Ministry of Environment requires that the site be remediated.
1990s: Environmental Site Investigations are completed to indentify sources and areas of contamination.
1999: Ministry of Environment issues a remediation order to Nexen.
2003: Remediation of the Nexen lands is completed.
2004: Provincial Crown transfers the site to the District of Squamish
Today: A Certificate of Compliance from the BC Ministry of Environment for the applicable land use must be obtained before development can proceed. Much of the peninsula has received Certificates of Compliance from MOE for Residential Use.