Strong odour over Metro Vancouver connected to Burnaby, B.C. refinery

A strong burning smell reported across Metro Vancouver Sunday morning is connected to the Parkland refinery in north Burnaby, according to officials.

Many residents woke up to an intense odour early Sunday, which was concentrated in East Vancouver and the adjoining area of north Burnaby.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services Assistant Chief Pierre Morin told CBC News at around 8:30 a.m. PT that the source of the smell was unclear, and there were 15 fire trucks patrolling the streets trying to find the cause.

It soon emerged, however, that the smell was connected to the Parkland refinery near Confederation Park.

A Burnaby Fire Department spokesperson said that firefighters were standing by near the refinery on Sunday morning as part of an ongoing incident, but that there was no emergency reported.

Burnaby firefighters were present near Parkland refinery on Sunday morning. (Yvette Brend/CBC)

Vancouver Fire Chief Karen Fry said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, that there was a “hydro carbon industrial event” in Burnaby, with smoke and odour from there making its way to Vancouver.

“We’re just advising people to stay indoors and close their windows [for] the time being,” Morin said around 10 a.m. PT Sunday.

A spokesperson for the provincial Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy told CBC News the ministry was also aware of the smell and was advising residents to stay at home if they were overwhelmed by the odour.

CBC News has reached out to the Parkland Refinery for this story and is waiting for a response.

In a Friday statement, the refinery had advised Burnaby residents that they could notice “a higher than usual flare and potential intermittent noise” over the next several days as they worked to start up their operations.

“The refinery is committed to safe, reliable, and efficient operations while minimizing potential impacts to our neighbours,” reads the statement. “All safety and environmental protocols are being followed, and all required regulators have been notified.”