The Montreal fire department (SIM) responded to a blaze at a metal recycling yard in the city’s east end on Thursday morning.
The incident occurred at 5.45 a.m. at a commercial site on the corner of Henri-Bourassa and Rodolphe-Forget boulevards.
The SIM, which sent 24 fire trucks and 55 firefighters, notes that the scrapyard is filled with old cars and other debris.
There were no reported injuries, but billowing clouds of smoke could be seen across the city and the Montérégie region.
Quebec’s Environment Ministry is hypothesizing that the fire may have been caused by a lithium battery that spread to piles of scrap metal in the yard.
“The fire is limited to the burning of scrap metal with no other hazardous materials involved,” the ministry said.
It adds that the Centre d’Expertise en Analyse Environnementale du Québec (CEAEQ) TAGA mobile laboratory is on site to respond to reports of “odours caused by the fire.”
Permits revoked
The City of Montreal confirmed Thursday morning that the company’s operating permit had been voided.
Officials state a letter of revocation was sent to La Compagnie Américaine de Fer et Métaux Inc. (AIM) at 8 a.m. “to protect the environment.”
“Despite repeated requests from the City of Montreal over the years to bring the facility up to code, [Polychlorinated biphenyls] PCBs, particulate matter and metals continue to exceed accepted measurements at the property line,” the city noted.
In October 2024, city officials say they suspended the company’s permit for equipment emitting PCBs.
“Despite this, PCB exceedances persisted at the property line, confirming that this permit suspension was insufficient to resolve the problem,” officials said, adding that AIM also sued to overturn the decision.
In March 2025, the city says it notified AIM of its intention to suspend and revoke permits for three processes causing PCB emissions.
Two months later, the City of Montreal says it asked AIM to “provide a clear plan to comply with regulations and meet the limit values.”
“The City received independent studies confirming the cause-and-effect relationship between AIM’s activities and the pollutants measured in ambient air, including PCBs,” officials said.
However, “documents submitted by AIM failed to demonstrate that process modifications would satisfy the requirements of Regulation 2001-10 [atmospheric emissions], nor did they provide for purification equipment capable of controlling PCB emissions,” the city said.
Additionally, officials say tests performed on Nov. 3, 2025, found that PCB concentrations were 90 times greater than what was allowed.
On June 4, 2025, arsenic levels were found to be 23 times the permitted limit.
As a result, the city says that in February, it informed AIM of its intention to revoke specific permits.
‘Reviewing these communications’
In a statement sent to CTV News, AIM insists that its teams are “fully mobilized” to manage the situation in relation to the fire.
“Fortunately, no employees were injured,” the company said. “We are working closely with the relevant authorities and are monitoring the situation closely.”
Regarding its position on the permit revocation, AIM says, “Despite the ongoing incident, the company is reviewing these communications and is currently evaluating its options.”
Poor air quality
Thursday morning, Santé Montréal took to social media to note that the flames may affect air quality in the area.
It states that people with heart or respiratory conditions, children under five years old, pregnant women, seniors and those working outdoors are most vulnerable to the effects of smoke.
The organization adds that those in the neighbourhood should:
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed, if possible;
- Keep asthma medication within reach;
- Limit outdoor physical activity;
- Call 811 or 911 should symptoms appear.
All health facilities in the area have also been locked down as a preventative measure.
