British Columbia: An anonymous online campaign against Chemtrade Logistics Inc.’s chlorine plant in North Vancouver is secretly funded by Chemtrade’s competitor, K2 Pure Solutions. The campaign, run by a Toronto-based lobbying firm, aims to influence local officials and public opinion against Chemtrade’s chlorine production. The website “Keep North Vancouver Safe” portrays itself as a local environmental group concerned about potential chlorine spills, but is actually backed by K2, which competes with Chemtrade in the chemical industry.
The campaign has used social media ads to create fear about chlorine disasters, but the anonymous nature of the campaign has raised concerns about transparency and ethics. District councillors and officials have expressed frustration over the lack of openness about who is behind the campaign. K2 Pure Solutions argues it is trying to inform the public and highlight issues with Chemtrade’s operations, but Chemtrade dismisses the effort as a competitive maneuver.