Hilliers residents upset with noise coming from chipping mill operations
Published 5:35 am Saturday, December 13, 2025
Residents in the Hilliers area are upset about what they deem excessive noise coming from a wood chipping operation.
They raised their displeasure with the noise pollution at an Electoral Areas Services Committee meeting on Dec. 4.
Troy Hansen said the problem started when the mill owner, Long Hoh Enterprises, started a chipping operation last August. The noise, he said, caught residents by surprise.
“It took concerned neighbours to locate the cause of this noise and multiple attempts to have the noise reduced,” said Hansen. “The noise is best described as thunderous and roaring. It is overwhelming and like standing beside a 747 at the airport. These noises have a very negative impact on our lives.”
The noise starts at 7 a.m. or earlier, said Hansen, and goes on until 5 p.m. or later. Residents, he indicated, have had to wear earplugs or close their windows in order to block out the noise.
Hilliers residents want the Regional District of Nanaimo to address the issue. They prefer the mill seek a more suitable location for its operation or move the machine inside a building.
“We are mad, we are frustrated, we are fed up and we want a resolution to this unbearable and intolerable situation,” said Hansen.
EASC chair and Electoral Area E (Nanoose Bay) director Bob Rogers pointed out Electoral Area F, where Hilliers is located, does not have a noise bylaw. The RDN, however, Rogers said, would like the residents and the owner to work collectively towards a solution that is “mutually beneficial” to both sides.
Area F (Coombs, Hilliers, Errington, Whiskey Creek, Meadowood) director Leanne Salter provided a notice of motion that staff be directed to undertake a process to establish noise regulations for commercial and industrial activities located in the residential areas and community centres within Electoral Area F.
Salter’s recommendation drew concerns from Harmac Pacific pulp mill officials . Fibre supply manager, Cam Milne, appeared as a delegation at the meeting. He stressed the Long Hoh chipping mill is an essential facility to maintaining the Harmac Pacific operation.
Milne said without Long Hoh, Harmac pulp production would shut down in a matter of days.
Milne said they are helping the Long Hoh operation. The plan is to run the chipping operation on a six-month trial to see if it was feasible.
“It was more successful that we had envisioned,” said Milne, who added, they now plan to renew the agreement for Long Ho to continue to run the chipping mill.
Milne said there is a short supply of industrial land in and around the regional district. They had recently purchased property next to the mill and are currently seeking to amend the land to industrial.
“When we looked around and looked at opportunities to do business, and where we can do business, it’s very slim,” said Milne who added, “We are under extreme pressure to continue to operate.”
Long Hoh employs 62 people when running one shift. Currently, it is operating on a part-time basis and employs 39 people. The chipper operation has 57 workers that include those on the chipping plant and loggers that deliver the wood. With plans to bring in an extra volume of logs to run Long Hoh, Milne said, they will be able to provide a one-shift operation, bringing the combined total to about 120 people.
“With respect to noise, we’re more than prepared to talk about what we can do to shift things around there to make it more palatable,” said Milne. “We have done some noise work. Decibel ratings is anywhere from 35 to 43 decibels on a property that allows about 110. So, there is more work to do there and we’re willing to do that.”