The MHA for Conception Bay South supports the OCI project in Long Pond Harbour but is concerned that the general public may have been bypassed in the process.
The project, which calls for a 5-storey building and infilling of a portion of the harbour, has been on the books for about two years but the provincial government ruled that an environmental assessment was unnecessary.
MHA Barry Petten says nobody knew about the cold storage facility until recently. Had there been an assessment, people would’ve had sufficient opportunity to voice their concerns.
He says the town needs economic development such as this, but there was a gap in the process by not engaging the public.
The proposal is currently before the town council.