MONTREAL -- City council in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, on Montreal's south shore, voted unanimously Monday night to reject a controversial crematoria project.
Hundreds of residents have been lobbying against the proposal, with some stating it will be too close to their homes.
"We're very concerned about that because cremation is an industrial process," said resident Gaétan Poirier, who is worried about traffic and pollution. "It's burning a body into ashes. That's industrial."
The land, which is next to a gas station, is zoned commercial and representatives for the Coopérative funéraire du Grand Montréal argue the proposed crematoria conform to strict environmental regulations, using a two-step process to reduce pollution.
"The first step is for the body and a second for the remaining particles," explained director of operations Mathieu Houle. "The high temperature keeps everything clear."
The funeral home, which says it is in need of a larger facility, insists there's no legal reason why its proposal was denied. Representatives state they now plan to take the City of Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville to court.
About six bodies are cremated each day at the funeral home.
-- with files from CTV News' Stephane Giroux.
