Irving Oil must halt development: MP

New Democratic Party MP Yvon Godin is calling on Irving Oil Ltd. to halt all construction work on its new corporate headquarters planned for the Saint John waterfront.

The Acadie-Bathurst MP said the company's Saint John project does not have permission from Ottawa to build on Long Wharf, which belongs to the federal government.

"And all of a sudden, the building is getting built without those permissions," Godin said. "And we're asking the federal government to stop the construction right away and do the right things that have to be done. You just cannot do what you want in this country, and I don't believe it's done properly."

Irving Oil has indicated that the company is doing pre-construction work at the site that involves driving 350 steel beams into the ground to anchor the weight of the proposed building.

Godin said he's taking on the issue because he believes the Saint John-area MPs, who sit in the Conservative government caucus, are afraid to take on the Irving company.

Irving Oil signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saint John Port Authority in June 2008 on a $10-million deal, which would see the company build a $30-million building in the Long Wharf area along the shore.

The International Longshoremen's Association has been a vocal opponent of the project.

The labour union opposed the sale of the Lantic Sugar property by the city, arguing that once Long Wharf is leased to Irving Oil, the city will no longer have locations to increase port business, such as moorage for cruise ships.