19 replies to this topic

[max.bravo]

Reddit has been inundated with posts about people smelling a diesel oil / asphalt / burnt tar smell at night for several weeks now.

One user surmises they’ve pinpointed the source to a paving company on store street, producing asphalt for the next days paving.

Anyone in town noticed the same smell? It seems people near quadra/finlayson are smelling it the worst.

https://www.reddit.c...ell_in_the_air/

[Fox]

Noticed it in Shelbourne/McKenzie area.

[lanforod]

Noticed it in Shelbourne/McKenzie area.

 

Theres a lot of paving happening around there lately though, so might just be that.

[lanforod]

VW, its a reddit thread, surely you don't believe anything in it? 

[Fox]

Theres a lot of paving happening around there lately though, so might just be that.

That was my assumption, or perhaps roofing on the new construction.

[Victoria Watcher]

VW, its a reddit thread, surely you don't believe anything in it?

Well I have not commented yet. But that plant has been producing asphalt for over 25 years now.

[aastra]

I gotta say, no smell detected by me either at the homestead or during my rounds. There's a comment on the Reddit thread re: someone in James Bay who says he's been hearing the complaints for two weeks but still hasn't smelled anything himself. But I realize such things can be finicky depending on which way the breeze is blowing and where the offending agent happens to settle. I might go search it out just to confirm.

 

FYI: I'm going to note the summer of 2025 as the year Joe Average completely lost the plot re: weather. At this point I seem to be the only person in my entire circle who can enjoy a 78-degree day, a cool drink, and a bright blue sky. 

 

I mean, seriously. Imagine if we actually DO get a legitimate heatwave again at some point (by which I mean 90+ degrees). 

People need to dress for comfort and adjust activities accordingly. But so many people absolutely refuse to do it now, they've just lost that instinctive common sense. Not just in summer but during all seasons. They want to dress the same way all year, do the exact same activities in the exact same manner all year, etc.

[aastra]

 

...that plant has been producing asphalt for over 25 years now.

 

Crikey, no wonder the smell is so bad.

[aastra]

 

FYI: I'm going to note the summer of 2025 as the year Joe Average completely lost the plot re: weather. At this point I seem to be the only person in my entire circle who can enjoy a 78-degree day, a cool drink, and a bright blue sky. 

 

I was enjoying a terrific evening in Beacon Hill Park and I was thinking to myself, I was thinking: so many people don't know how to do summer anymore. The few people who were there were obviously appreciating it and enjoying it. But where was everybody else?

 

(The new Vic High field and volleyball courts are one of the conspicuous exceptions... lots of good summer stuff going on there these days.)

[max.bravo]

I was enjoying a terrific evening in Beacon Hill Park and I was thinking to myself, I was thinking: so many people don't know how to do summer anymore. The few people who were there were obviously appreciating it and enjoying it. But where was everybody else?

(The new Vic High field and volleyball courts are one of the conspicuous exceptions... lots of good summer stuff going on there these days.)

We don’t go downtown anymore. Summer fun is just as good far away from where my kids will see junkies and needles.

[max.bravo]

This Reddit user seems to have found the reason imo. Makes sense.
I wonder if it’ll be TC/Chek news by tomorrow.

lesmainsdepigeon
•
3h ago
•
Edited 3h ago
It appears, after speaking with some people that Island Asphalt is literally busier than it ever has been (ever) with the Pat Bay, Veterans, and Ravine Way projects all going on at once.

The plant in store street makes the mix that’s used to pave the roads and this is a combination of oil compound and rock. It may be that the supplier of the compound has changed, but the bigger culprit is likely the volume that Island Asphalt is trying to put through.

Apparently, they are busier than they ever have been.

Because of road regulations they can only transport on the roads at night. This may be part of why the smell starts up around 7. But also, they are putting out 4-500 tons of mix during the day, and this ramps way up to 2,000 tons for the night shift. (!!)

No word of how long the projects will continue or when production will slow down because a couple of these are through the provincial ministry of transportation.

I’ve filed a request with the Ministry of Environment to test whether they are still within the permissible air pollutant limits. It was nice that the Ministry agent I spoke to noted the neighborhoods that I’d heard were impacted through this sub, and she also noted the VictoriaBC sub as resource.

I’m off to learn more about air quality minimum standards and whether there are tests that individuals can undertake themselves!

ETA: I’ve been told that the more people who call RAPP (Report All Poachers and Polluters), the more a claim is prioritized and investigated!! 1-877-952-7277

[max.bravo]

I love that the same people on Reddit who complain about road construction taking too long are trying to shut down the plant that makes the asphalt. Classic.

Edited by max.bravo, 17 July 2025 - 12:12 PM.

[Mike K.]

I was enjoying a terrific evening in Beacon Hill Park and I was thinking to myself, I was thinking: so many people don't know how to do summer anymore. The few people who were there were obviously appreciating it and enjoying it. But where was everybody else?

(The new Vic High field and volleyball courts are one of the conspicuous exceptions... lots of good summer stuff going on there these days.)

Last time I was there, I thought to myself it was looking a little worn out.

When you move out to the suburbs, city parks become somewhat of a curiosity. Unless they’re incredibly well maintained, they can look rough around the edges very quickly, and you can’t help but wonder, was this the result of a busy weekend, or a slack week/month/season where maintenance just hasn’t kept up. Throw in drunk teens and it’s such a lovely experience, especially with the signs reminding you to check for needles before you thrown down the blanket.

Chef’s kiss, really.

[Victoria Watcher]

A strong smell fanned the flames of worry and intrigue for residents in communities bordering Victoria and Saanich on Wednesday evening.

Several residents called 911 to report a chemical odour in the air.

 

“City staff are investigating where the odour is coming from. If the source of the odour is identified, staff will determine whether a bylaw violation is occurring,” a Victoria spokesperson said.

 

In Saanich, crews investigated and determined the odour was from paving in the area. There were no calls to fire dispatch on Thursday, according to the district.

The 911 calls were augmented with a flurry of online posts comparing smells in the city.

 

A Saanich fire truck parked near a business at Interurban and Wilkinson spurred an online conversation. The Crooked Goose Bistro later confirmed on social media it would be closed due to a recent fire outbreak.

 

 

https://www.vicnews....-smells-8139742

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 July 2025 - 02:41 PM.

[Mike K.]

Recent fire outbreak?

[Barrister]

Take the kids camping on Pandora, tenting seems to be allowed.

[Victoria Watcher]

Strong petroleum odours linked to asphalt plant at Upper Harbour

 

Island Asphalt, which operates the plant on Store Street, is producing paving material 24 hours a day for two major projects on the Pat Bay Highway

 

https://www.timescol...arbour-10960161

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 July 2025 - 06:21 PM.

[max.bravo]

It does make me wonder what’s changed if they’ve been in operation for 60 years and nobody’s complained before. Is it just the volume of asphalt produced? Does the plant need maintenance? Is there a new ingredient? Are residents just hypochondriacs since Covid?

[Victoria Watcher]

It does make me wonder what’s changed if they’ve been in operation for 60 years and nobody’s complained before. Is it just the volume of asphalt produced? Does the plant need maintenance? Is there a new ingredient? Are residents just hypochondriacs since Covid?

 

Indeed, seems odd.

[Mike K.]

Solved?