ENGLEE — Englee Mayor Rudy Porter said the council of his Northern Peninsula town was told by a contractor that hauling the remains of a dilapidated fish plant to a landfill would take at least 500 tandem truck loads.
That comes with a bill he says his town couldn't pay even if it wanted to.
The plant closed in 2004 and has been standing unused. Recently the roof collapsed causing what locals have called a "dangerous eyesore."
The government issued the plant owners, Sea Treat Ltd., a subsidiary of Daley Brothers that declared bankruptcy in 2007, an order to remove the structure within 90 days as of March 26.
In spite of passed deadlines, Englee is still awaiting action for its dilapidated fish plant.
Town officials would rather not have to pay for any of it since it has a population of 600 people and a very limited budget.
Porter said the community couldn't even afford it if the province used a 90-10 split, with the province footing 90 per cent of the bill.
"If we had to foot 10 per cent of this, that's our pothole money," he said.
"Taking that down is not going to be cheap."
The town has gotten no word from the Department of Environment and Conservation which is looking into legal options, checking on who is involved, and the possibility of removal.
The structure's roof collapsed back in February, with pieces of it falling into the harbour.
In its heyday, Porter said about 400 people worked at the plant.
