Even in the often foggy port city along the Atlantic Ocean, it is not possible to miss the fluttering clouds of steam from the largest Canadian oil refineries over Saint John, New Brunswick.
There are six huge tanks on the ridge overlooking the refinery, each containing one million barrels of oil. Letters painted in the dark blue magic “Irving”, a family whose businesses are dominated not only by Saint John, but most of New Brunswick.
The larger of the two local Irvings paper mills emerges above the Saint John River as a medieval fortress. Irving-Regional Railway Tracks Crisscross The City and connecting smaller factories owned by family with ports under Irving Control. Irving-owned shops and petrol stations will affect the street in this city of 78,000 people, where the park signs to honor the irving contributions to their maintenance.
Four radio stations in New Brunswick are filled with waves. And Irving-Orthodný transport cars carry goods made by Irving, such as structural steel and frozen French fries. The security company owned by Irving provides guards for real estate owned by Irving.
Canada has many families that have built business empires, especially Thomson family, who controls Thomson-Reuters, Media, financial and legal information.
Irvings, however, excel in their command of a single region. Since the age of 20, the Kenneth Colin Irving, which was known as KC, has found a privately owned family business now behind an estimate of 14.5 billion Canadian dollars or about $ 10.1 billion.
The heritage of the family in Canada is complicated. Her companies brought employment to the region where jobs are rare. According to some estimates, one of each 10 people in New Brunswick works for Irving Company. The province still stood on the bottom or near Canada or near the family’s income.
And while Irving companies created a large industry, its factories also brought pollution to Saint John and, according to the inhabitants and former government officials, brought their neighborhood.
However, many people in St. John, who were reluctant to criticize Irvings, have forced the economic strength and political influence of the family. The family’s decision in 2003 to close their shipyard in Saint John, which once employed 4,000 people to concentrate on their activities in Halifax, the new Scotland was widely considered to be a result of turning point.
“There is a culture in St. John, holding his head down and holding his mouth closed,” said Don Darling, mayor of the city from 2016 to 2021.
He said he believed that the strong industrial base of Saint John should strengthen the local economy, but that relatively low taxes of many companies owned by irving made it difficult to support the necessary social services.
“I do not necessarily blame Irving,” he added. “But everyone has to play a role and everyone should take responsibility for their role in the community.”
The Irving family did not answer the list of questions about its effect on the city.
Today, the Irving Empire consists mainly of two large conglomerates, which are still owned and controlled by the Irving family.
Companies were not always easy neighbors. In 2018, the inhabitants of Pleanant City Street in Saint John East were twice shrouded in Irving refineria. First, the leak pipe led to an explosion that injured 36 workers. Then the neighborhood was evacuated after a rusty pipe bearing toxic and explosive butane burst.
Irving’s oil was fined $ 200,000 for an explosion, about $ 140,000, and the Pleasure City Street has changed forever. Irving bought about 20 houses near the pipeline and demolished them, apparently created a bumper between the refinery and the inhabitants. The abandoned district is now blocked by specific barriers and guarded by Irving-Employed Rangers.
Like other people in Saint John, Lisa Crandall, who lives near barriers, she said she knew about family members and pets who died of unusual cancer.
There was a small control of any health problems related to the Irving company by local government agencies or private groups. A study from 2009 for the New Brunswick Nature Protection Council, Advocacy, found out Lung cancer rate For women in Saint John, 82 percent higher than the National Rats AO 98 percent higher in men.
There were no known studies that would directly associate health problems with businesses owned by irving.
The refinery dusted neighborhood with chemical particles. The provincial government has declared them release of dust and soot to be low risk For residents, but it failed to reassure. Fine particles were associated with asthma, lung disease and bronchitis.
Mrs. Crandall said she was frustrated by a lack of society communication. To date, she said she had no information about bullding home on her street.
“He doesn’t talk about it,” she said. “They just always send a letter saying: Hi, we’re your neighbor. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
KC Irving has launched a family empire by adding an oil company to its automotive retailers and a petrol station. During the great depression he took over unsuccessful bus and freight companies and after World War II it spread to paper, boats and lumber.
The growing influence of society has brought concessions and tax relief from the government. In 1951, the province passed a law that is no longer in force, allowing the Irving Mill mill to pour waste into the Saint John River. And Irving oil received 42 years of exemption from real estate tax, which ended in 2023.
“The level of approach to elected officials they have is that no one else,” said Mr. Darling, a former mayor. “Show us whether it makes sense to give special tax treatment of any business – irving or anyone else.”
Back to the Pleasure City Street, Mrs. Crandall said she wanted some way to reduce Irving’s excessive presence in Saint John.
“I’d like to see them just selling everything and having different companies are coming,” she said. (Irving has not announced any such plans.)
“It would be really good for the city,” she added. “I know many people would hate me that I said that.”
