Metro Vancouver obtains warrant for Parkland refinery documents after 2024 leak

Metro Vancouver has been granted a search warrant to obtain internal documents from Parkland Refinery in Burnaby, British Columbia, as part of an investigation into a chemical leak in January 2024. The district says the records could help show the refinery released pollutants and did not immediately notify officials after the incident. The documents sought include emissions data, logbooks, shift schedules, maintenance records, and information about compounds workers may have been exposed to during the leak. Officials say the Jan. 21, 2024 incident caused an odorous haze across the region and led to hundreds of complaints about headaches, nausea, and breathing problems. Metro Vancouver is considering fines that could total up to $1.2 million if bylaw violations are proven.