Innisfail auto shops must pay thousands of dollars by early next month to comply with Alberta Environment regulations following a sudden and unprecedented sweep this month by government inspectors.
The sweep, hitting every auto shop in town on Oct. 8, was made to “educate” shop owners on how to avoid contraventions under provincial government regulations, said Alberta Environment spokesperson Sarah Jackson.
She added it was not designed to issue tickets that could cost businesses tens of thousands of dollars if their practices violated environmental regulations.
Jackson said 41 businesses in Innisfail, Stettler and Sylvan Lake were targeted Oct. 8 and 9 by seven EPOs from Alberta Environment's Red Deer district compliance team.
“The environmental protection officers (EPO) were just there to make sure that these businesses were staying compliant so that in the future they are not given fines. It was an education,” said Jackson, conceding it was the first time the provincial government has ever conducted environmental inspections on Innisfail auto shops. “It was an opportunity to allow the businesses to be in compliance and with each inspection the EPOs provided educational packages with various fact sheets that were associated with the sweep.”
However, local auto shop businessmen said the “education” by the government inspectors would cost them thousands of dollars after being ordered to upgrade their work areas within 30 days to comply with government environmental regulations.
“It has been a real hassle,” said Kevin Massignan, owner of Specialty Automotive Repairs for the past 15 years. Massignan said he was ordered by inspectors to clean up his shop sumps, upgrade business oil tanks and build an outdoor containment shed. He said it will cost him $6,000 and he has until Nov. 8 to get it done.
“I agree that some of the carelessness needs to be tended to. I don't care for the cost right now but I think it is just part of keeping the environment green,” said Massignan. “I have a hard time because it is throwaway money for me. You are not making money so you're spending $6,000 just to throw it out the door.”
John Schneider, owner of Innisfail 2020 Auto Service, said his business is already undergoing a massive cleanup of old gas tanks at the front of his shop, and said Alberta Environment inspectors targeted him for about $1,000 worth of compliance upgrades.
“That's huge for me right now. I had to go out and buy a secondary containment for my antifreeze, get my sump pumped out, and get oil spill prevention kits,” said Schneider. “The frustration with all of us is why did they do this all at once? They came in and said this is what you got to do and you have to do it right now.
“It was totally without notice. Nobody knew it was happening,” added Schneider. “They just showed up and did it, and basically wrote us up and said fix it or whatever.”
Ron Steuer, owner of Master Muffler, 43 said government inspectors ordered him to get a double walled tank to collect waste oil, which will cost him between $2,500 and $6,000.
“I am just a little small-town operator. I don't do that many oil changes. Before I owned the business I worked here for seven years and there was never an issue,” said Steuer. “Well, the (government) guy said, ‘I will give you a hint. If you want you can get one of those little kiddy pools and put a couple of 45-gallon drums in your shop.'
“I said, ‘you've got to be joking',” he said, adding he would not follow the inspector's suggestion as it would hurt his professional credibility.
Sharon Housman, owner of Home Town Auto Service for the past five years, said the inspection on her business could cost her up to $5,000 with government-demanded upgrades. However, she is questioning whether the inspectors were being overly zealous.
“There are things there that if it's under 265 litres it is not regulated but of course they don't tell you that. They were also talking about secondary containment and all this other stuff, and my daughter sent me up the rules from the government and it is actually not as extreme as they were portraying it to be to us,” said Housman, adding she was taken aback by the demanding tone from the inspectors. “If they went into a large company they probably wouldn't push their weight around as much. I think there is a big difference between little company and big company. We were told we would be just shut down if we didn't comply.”
However, Jackson said businesses of all sizes are subject to the ministry sweeps. She said the Innisfail sweep was not specifically targeted for any particular reason other then “it was their turn.”
Jackson said there are no specific dates scheduled for future inspections.
“They just kind of come up when they are needed. They will kind of rotate throughout the province,” she said. “They won't be every two weeks or two months, but yes, random.”
