Exporter of steelmaking coal fined for Fisheries Act violations at Line Creek in British Columbia's Elk River Valley

FERNIE, BC, Oct. 5, 2017 /CNW/ - Canadians value a safe and clean environment. Environment and Climate Change Canada's (ECCC) enforcement officers work hard every day to make sure individuals and companies are respecting Canadian environmental laws.

Today, in the Provincial Court of British Columbia, Teck Coal Limited pleaded guilty to three counts of contravening the Fisheries Act. The court ordered the company to pay a penalty of $1,425,000, which will be directed to the federal Environmental Damages Fund, and used for purposes related to the conservation and protection of fish or fish habitat or the restoration of fish habitat in the East Kootenay region of B.C. Additionally, Teck Resources will post information regarding this conviction on its website. As a result of this conviction, the company's name will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry.

Teck Coal's Line Creek Operations is located 25 kilometres north of Sparwood in southeastern British Columbia. On October 17th, 2014, ECCC enforcement officers launched an investigation following a report that fish had been found dead in ponds connected to Line Creek. During the investigation, ECCC enforcement officers found that the effluent from the water treatment facility going into Line Creek was deleterious to fish. Numerous dead fish were found in the Line Creek watershed as a result of this discharge, including Bull trout. Bull trout are identified as a species of special concern in this area of British Columbia. 

Line Creek is identified by the Government of British Columbia as part of a "Classified Water" system. This provincial classification means that the water system is seen to have a high fisheries value and it requires special fishing licenses. 

Environment and Climate Change Canada has created a free subscription service to help Canadians stay current with what the Government of Canada is doing to protect our natural environment.

Quick Facts

• Environment and Climate Change Canada is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act, which prohibit the deposit of deleterious substances into water frequented by fish.
• Created in 1995, the Environmental Damages Fund is a Government of Canada program administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The Fund follows the "polluter pays" principle and ensures that court-awarded penalties are used for projects with positive environmental impacts.
• The Environmental Offenders Registry contains information on convictions of corporations registered for offences committed under certain federal environmental laws.

Associated Links

FisheriesAct
Environmental Offenders Registry 
Environmental Damages Fund

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada