A North York industrial bakery that was the subject of a Star investigation this year is being prosecuted by the Environment Ministry for allegedly expanding its facilities illegally and for failing to comply with environmental measures aimed at protecting local residents from noise pollution.Charges were laid in January against Fiera Foods and adjacent sister company Marmora Freezing Corp. for breaching the terms of a government-issued Environmental Compliance Approval, which included the construction of a noise barrier wall, and for expanding without ministry approval. The trial is set for next April. The Environment Ministry said since 2016, it has received around a thousand complaints about the facilities from community members — who described noise pollution as “intolerable and unacceptable,” documents obtained by the Star show. Angelo and Rina Zamperin, who are both in their 80s, live 200 metres from the factory. Rina, who is battling cancer, told the Star the couple had to move their bed into the living room to try to sleep.“We paid tax for 57 years, and we end up to be this way? No,” she said. Another nearby resident, Fabio Ovetinni, said the problem began in 2015, when new cooling towers were installed at the plant.“It was like a helicopter hovering over the neighbourhood,” he said. “It’s hard when your kids say, ‘Dad it’s too loud, we can’t sleep,’ ” he added. Fiera and Marmora failed to obtain municipal building permits for parts of an expansion that began five years ago, according to separate proceedings underway at the Ontario Municipal Board. In 2014, Fiera received a $1.5-million grant from the provincial government to help with its upgrades, and was lauded at the time by Premier Kathleen Wynne for creating good jobs. In an emailed statement to the Star, Fiera counsel David Gelbloom said measurements conducted by the Environment Ministry in September showed the noi ...
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