Fraser River Pile and Dredge (GP) Inc - conviction information for 2019-02-20
| Corporation name: | Fraser River Pile and Dredge (GP) Inc |
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| Address: | 1830 River Drive |
| City: | New Westminster |
| Province/territory: | British Columbia |
| Postal code: | V3M 2A8 |
| Country: | Canada |
| Sector or industry: | 238 - Specialty trade contractors |
| Location of offense: | Address: Deas Slough navigation channel in the Fraser River estuary, City Delta, British Columbia |
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| Case summary: |
On Tuesday, February 18, 2014, Fraser River Pile and Dredge (GP) Inc. (FRPD), reported a possible chlorinated water release into Deas Slough, an Estuary of the Fraser River, due to a watermain break. FRPD was dredging near the Ferry Boat Ramp in Deas Slough, which is the main arm of the Fraser River at the time of the incident. During dredging operation, the dredge spud punctured a submerged Metro Vancouver watermain beneath Deas Slough. The submerged watermain conveys chlorinated drinking water from Metro Vancouver reservoirs to the Corporation of Delta. On February 26, 2014, water samples were collected from the closest sampling station to the puncture and the samples were submitted to the Pacific and Yukon Laboratory for Environmental Testing (PYLET) for chlorine level and acute lethality testing. On December 12, 2014, the Regulatory Toxicologist at PYLET, confirmed that the samples were acutely lethal and deleterious to fish due to the chlorine concentrations. On April 12, 2018, Fisheries Act charges were laid against Fraser River Pile and Dredge (GP) Inc., for one count of violating the Fisheries Act |
| Charges: |
Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc., from the 18th day of February, 2014 to the 19th day of February, 2014, inclusive, at or near the Cities of Richmond and Delta, in the Province of British Columbia, did deposit or permit the deposit of a deleterious substance, to wit: chlorinated water, in water frequented by fish, to wit: Deas Slough in the Fraser River estuary, contrary to section 36(3) of the Fisheries Act, thereby committing an offence in contravention of section 40(2)(b) of the Fisheries Act.
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| Enforcement notification: | Canadian dredging company fined $350K for unlawful deposit of deleterious substance in Fraser River estuary |
| Result: | Guilty Plea |
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| Date of conviction: | 2019-02-20 |
| Court level: | Provincial and Territorial Court |
| Nature of offense(s): |
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| Additional details about the nature of the offense: |
| Act | Regulations | Section(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Pollution Prevention provisions (subsection 36(3)) of the Fisheries Act |
| Date of sentencing: |
2019-02-20 |
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| Location of sentencing: | Surrey, BC |
| Sentence(s): |
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| Amount of fine(s): | $350,000 |
| Sentencing details: |
The sentence details should be written in the following format:
"The 20, February, 2019, before the Provincial Court of Surrey, British Columbia, the corporation Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc. has pleaded guilty of depositing a deleterious substance into waters frequented by fish; and was sentenced to pay a fine $350,000. |