City council approved a zoning variance to allow Husky Oil to upgrade its wastewater treatment facility.
Husky project manager Dean Tarasoff said the project is designed to enclose the refinery's water treatment and reduce emissions.
"We're going ahead to enclose this and strip the harmfuls from the air," Tarasoff said. "We're trying to take the aromatics out of the water."
The variance was required because the proposed system will be within 1.5 metres of the property line. The city's zoning requires a setback of 10 metres, however the refinery already has equipment 1.5 metres from the property line.
"The 10 metre setback is to for allow for the bulk of structures," city acting director for plannng and development Dan Milburn said. "In this case the strutures are not large, so we believe it is appropriate."
In addition, Milburn said, there is a 23 metre boulevard seperating the property line from PG Pulpmill Road.
Tarasoff could not comment on the cost or net environmental benefit of the project.
