Cermaq fined $500K for 2017 diesel spill at fish farm off Vancouver Island
A provincial court judge has ordered the owner of a fish farm off northern Vancouver Island to pay $500,000 for spilling more than 500 litres of diesel fuel into the ocean in 2017.
Cermaq Canada, which owns the farm in Echo Bay, approximately 70 kilometres east of Port Hardy, admitted to failing to do its due diligence to prevent the spill on March 5, 2017.
The company said the spill occurred when an employee, who was transferring diesel from one tank to another, tied a rope around the fuel nozzle to keep it engaged while he attended to other duties.
The employee forgot about the fuel pump until the following day.
The coast guard estimated that approximately 522 litres of marine diesel overflowed from the tank, while an environmental cleanup company estimated that 550 litres were spilled.
The cleanup effort lasted several days with Cermaq covering the $885,000 cost for the recovery and remediation work.
Judge Catherine Ann Crockett heard from experts who testified that diesel contains chemicals that are harmful to fish, but found the evidence "inconclusive" on whether marine life was harmed.
"It is simply not possible to measure the impact of the marine diesel on all organisms," the judge wrote in her ruling. "No one observed any dead fish, including the salmon in the pens. The amount of harmful substances in organisms such as clams quickly dissipated to the point there was no health risk for consumers."
The Crown sought a fine of $1.4 million for unlawfully depositing a deleterious substance in water frequented by fish in contravention of the Fisheries Act, while Cermaq proposed a fine of $250,000.
In addition to the $500,000 fine, Cermaq has been ordered to publish the court's decision on its website for 90 days.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Florida deputies who fatally shot U.S. airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.
Air Canada ranks near bottom on customer satisfaction: survey
Air Canada ranks below most other major North American airlines on customer satisfaction, with airfares a particular sore point, according to a new survey.