Business

Chemical plant shuts down after high benzene levels detected near Ontario First Nation – Global News

Published

7 months ago

April 21, 2024

Days after high levels of the cancer-causing chemical benzene were detected on the northern border of Aamjiwnaang First Nation, a chemical plant in Sarnia is shutting down.

INEOS Styrolution, a chemical manufacturer, told Global News in an email on Saturday that it has halted operations to perform maintenance and address a mechanical issue.

The company did not specify whether the shutdown is related to spikes in benzene levels detected last week, reaching 115 ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre) on April 16. Ontario’s Environment Ministry has set the annual average limit for benzene at 0.45 ug/m3.

Click to play video: 'Residents of Ontario First Nation sickened after high benzene levels detected'

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Residents of Ontario First Nation sickened after high benzene levels detected

Dozens of the First Nation’s residents reported feeling ill, and an unknown number were hospitalized.

“Ensuring the health and safety of our employees and community is paramount,” the company stated in the email to Global News, adding that operations will resume after it addresses the issue.

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Multiple sources within the First Nation told Global News they were not aware of any planned shutdown scheduled for this month.

The First Nation’s Chief and a representative of its Environment Department have called for the provincial government to shut down the facility until the benzene emissions stopped and hinted at potential legal action.

Click to play video: 'Ontario health review links Sarnia-area air pollution to increased cancer risk'

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Ontario health review links Sarnia-area air pollution to increased cancer risk

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks issued a provincial order on Thursday against INEOS, giving the chemical manufacturer a week to create a written plan to address the high levels, two weeks to implement new procedures to warn the public about high levels of these toxic emissions, and less than a month to complete an investigation into the apparent source of the chemical leak.

In the order, the province stated INEOS is a “primary source” of the high benzene levels.

Global News has also learned that at the federal level, Environment Canada has an open enforcement file related to the INEOS facility under the Environmental Emergencies regulations.

David R. MacDonald, the operations manager and interim site director for INEOS Styrolution, stated on April 18 that the company was “carefully reviewing” concerns raised by Aamjiwnaang First Nation regarding benzene readings from the INEOS site.

“The site works closely with the (Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks) to ensure we stay within the prescribed emissions limits,” MacDonald wrote in an email.

— With files from Andrew Russell

Business

Restaurant Brands reports US$357M Q3 net income, down from US$364M a year ago

Published

23 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Restaurant Brands International Inc. reported net income of US$357 million for its third quarter, down from US$364 million in the same quarter last year.

The company, which keeps its books in U.S. dollars, says its profit amounted to 79 cents US per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with 79 cents US per diluted share a year earlier.

Revenue for the parent company of Tim Hortons, Burger King, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs, totalled US$2.29 billion, up from US$1.84 billion in the same quarter last year.

Consolidated comparable sales were up 0.3 per cent.

On an adjusted basis, Restaurant Brands says it earned 93 cents US per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 90 cents US per diluted share a year earlier.

The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 95 cents US per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.

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Business

Electric and gas utility Fortis reports $420M Q3 profit, up from $394M a year ago

Published

23 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Anne Joseph

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Fortis Inc. reported a third-quarter profit of $420 million, up from $394 million in the same quarter last year.

The electric and gas utility says the profit amounted to 85 cents per share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, up from 81 cents per share a year earlier.

Fortis says the increase was driven by rate base growth across its utilities, and strong earnings in Arizona largely reflecting new customer rates at Tucson Electric Power.

Revenue in the quarter totalled $2.77 billion, up from $2.72 billion in the same quarter last year.

On an adjusted basis, Fortis says it earned 85 cents per share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 84 cents per share in the third quarter of 2023.

The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 82 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:FTS)

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Business

Thomson Reuters reports Q3 profit down from year ago as revenue rises

Published

23 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Thomson Reuters reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year ago as its revenue rose eight per cent.

The company, which keeps its books in U.S. dollars, says it earned US$301 million or 67 cents US per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30. The result compared with a profit of US$367 million or 80 cents US per diluted share in the same quarter a year earlier.

Revenue for the quarter totalled US$1.72 billion, up from US$1.59 billion a year earlier.

In its outlook, Thomson Reuters says it now expects organic revenue growth of 7.0 per cent for its full year, up from earlier expectations for growth of 6.5 per cent.

On an adjusted basis, Thomson Reuters says it earned 80 cents US per share in its latest quarter, down from an adjusted profit of 82 cents US per share in the same quarter last year.

The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 76 cents US per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TRI)

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