Residents of East Vancouver have been enduring a strong and unpleasant smell this summer, with many describing it as fishy, garbage-like, and sewage-like. The odor is believed to be emanating from nearby facilities such as a poultry processing plant, two seafood processors, and West Coast Reduction Ltd., a significant rendering plant.
Despite the odor not being a new issue, complaints about the overpowering smell have nearly doubled this year. Metro Vancouver has received 883 odor complaints for East Vancouver north of Broadway in 2025, a significant increase from the average of 456 complaints annually over the past five years. Notably, West Coast Reduction is suspected to be responsible for 357 of this year’s complaints.
West Coast Reduction, the sole facility of its kind in British Columbia, processes food waste and animal byproducts from various sources like chicken, beef, pork, and fish. The company’s director of technical and environmental services, Ken Ingram, emphasizes that all parts of the animals are utilized, with proteins going into feed and pet food and fats primarily used for renewable fuel production.
To address the odors produced during rendering processes, Ingram explains that the facility employs various methods, including incineration and air scrubbers equipped with a chlorine solution. These measures aim to eliminate organic molecules and associated odors before releasing the air outside. Despite these efforts, the smell persists in the surrounding areas and occasionally drifts to other parts of the city.
A tool called Smell Vancouver allows residents to report various odors in the city, with a notable increase in usage this year. Most reports originate from East Vancouver, indicating it as a recurring hotspot for odor complaints. However, researchers suggest considering other potential sources like construction, garbage collection, sewage, and algae blooms.
West Coast Reduction acknowledges an increase in complaints this year and diligently responds to each one. The facility utilizes a weather station to monitor weather conditions, aiding in investigating and addressing smell complaints promptly. Metro Vancouver mentions the challenges in pinpointing odor sources due to changing air conditions, even with timely responses to complaints.
