Ár n-oileán Resources COE says a six-figure renovation of the former fishplant has grown in cost, but will begin soon

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ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A Newfoundland and Labrador company finally has the go-ahead from the province’s environment department to proceed with a seal oil manufacturing operation at Tors Cove.

In a letter this week to Kendall Flood, Chief Executive Officer for Ár n-oileán Resources Ltd., the province’s environment minister Bernard Davis said the project was released from further environmental assessment, with conditions.

The company must establish a community liaison committee with the residents of Tors Cove, to keep them informed of developments as the project proceeds.

To support the seal processing operation, the company has to repair the Tors Cove Pond water line by reducing the flow to less than one million gallons a year and add fire hydrants.

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The company is also required to update the Environmental Assessment Division on the status of the project, providing copies of all permits, licences, and other approvals required by law for the project.

Ár n-oileán plans to convert an old fish plant in the town to process seal oil for the pharmaceutical industry.

According to the environmental preview report the company submitted to the province in March, the business will process about 200,000 kilograms of seal fat in its first year of operation, possibly ramping up to two million kilograms annually.

Kendall Flood told SaltWire today the environmental assessment phase is just the first step.

There’s still a lot of work ahead to renovate the old fish plant, which has fallen into disrepair.

He said, “We haven’t been able to buy a single nut, bolt or screw to start renovations to do any renovations to the building.”

While they did have some cost estimates prepared, he added, they’ll have to update that since the costs of materials and labour have increased over the past year.

The project requires significant investment. Flood said the cost will run into six figures but wouldn’t elaborate.

Flood added renovations would begin as soon as possible.

According to their environmental assessment documents the company figures it will take up to six months, or more, to upgrade the building to bring it up to Canadian Food Inspection Agency standards.

Flood said the company plans to have the facility up and running for the 2023 Newfoundland seal harvesting season.

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