Canadian mining company Teck Metals fined $2.2M for polluting B.C. river
Teck's operations in B.C.'s West Kootenay leaked pollutants into Columbia River in 2019: Environment Canada
Environment and Climate Change Canada says Teck Metals Ltd., a subsidiary of Teck Resources Ltd., has been ordered to pay $2.2 million in federal and provincial fines for an effluent spill into the Columbia River.
The government department says in a statement that Teck earlier pleaded guilty to two charges laid under the federal Fisheries Act and one charge under British Columbia's Environmental Management Act.
The charges stem from a February 2019 release of effluent into the Columbia River, which the government says was caused by a leak from the company's fertilizer operations in Warfield, B.C.
The government says the low-pH effluent was harmful to fish.
Environment and Climate Change Canada investigated the spill and found that the 2.5-million-litre discharge resulted from numerous operational errors.
They say that Teck will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry, and the federal fine of $2 million will go to the government's Environmental Damages Fund.
Comments
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.
Become a CBC Account Holder
Join the conversation Create account
Already have an account?