ArcelorMittal Exploitation Minière Canada s.e.n.c. - conviction information for 2024-11-18
| Corporation name: | ArcelorMittal Exploitation Minière Canada s.e.n.c. |
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| Address: | 1010 De Sérigny, Suite 200 |
| City: | Longueuil |
| Province/territory: | Quebec |
| Postal code: | J4K 5G7 |
| Country: | Canada |
| Sector or industry: | 212 - Mining and quarrying (except oil and gas) |
| Location of offense: | Mont-Wright Mining Complex, Fermont, Quebec |
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| Case summary: |
ArcelorMittal Exploitation Minière Canada s.e.n.c (AMEMC) is a mining company that extracts iron ore and processes it into concentrate and pellets. AMEMC is the operator of the Mont-Wright Mining Complex located in Fermont, Quebec.
On October 2, 2017, in response to previous unauthorized discharge violations at the Mont-Wright Mining Complex, the Fishery Officer/Inspector issued a Directive under section 38 (7.1) of the Fisheries Act to ArcelorMittal Exploitation Minière Canada s.e.n.c, its partners and responsible officers. The company is required to produce progress reports four times a year since the issuance of the Directive to demonstrate the actions taken to comply with the Act and stop the discharges.
From June 14 to 16, 2022, the Fishery Officer/Inspector visited the Mount Wright Mining Complex site to carry out an inspection. During this inspection, in addition to taking samples and making a visual inspection of certain areas of the site, the officer requested certain information from AMEMC, specifically in connection with the follow-up to the 2017 Directive.
Between July 6 and September 27, 2022, the agent followed up on the on-site inspection by exchanging e-mails with the company representatives. The exchange of e-mails between Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the operator was aimed at obtaining the documents requested as part of the inspection.
Between July 6 and September 12, 2022, the officer advised the company representatives that the requested documents were required to verify compliance with the habitat protection and pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act, and that failure to provide the requested information constituted obstruction of an officer in the performance of his duties.
On September 27, 2022, the company replied to ECCC by e-mail that they would not provide all the information requested as part of the inspection. In so doing, the company obstructed Environment and Climate Change Canada's enforcement officers in the performance of their duties, thereby contravening section 62 of the Fisheries Act.
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| Charges: |
Between June 14, 2022, and September 27, 2022, obstructed a Fishery Officer/Inspector in the performance of his duties contrary to section 62 of the Fisheries Act, thereby committing the indictable offence set out in section 78(b) of that Act.
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| Enforcement notification: | ArcelorMittal Exploitation Minière Canada s.e.n.c. ordered to pay $100,000 for obstructing enforcement officers |
| Result: | Guilty Plea |
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| Date of conviction: | 2024-11-18 |
| 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) |
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| Other - see 'Charges' section | Fisheries Act / Loi sur les Pêches SS.62, 78(B) |
| Date of sentencing: |
2024-11-18 |
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| Location of sentencing: | Longueuil |
| Sentence(s): |
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| Amount of fine(s): | $100,000 |
| Sentencing details: |
On November 18, 2024, in the Court of Quebec, Longueuil, Quebec, ArcelorMittal Exploitation Minière Canada s.e.n.c pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Fisheries Act and was fined $100,000. The fine will be paid to the Receiver General for Canada.
The fine was accompanied by a Tribunal Order issued on November 18, 2024, requiring ArcelorMittal Mining Canada s.e.n.c. to transmit documents to Environment and Climate Change Canada, documents that the company had initially refused to disclose to the officer in the performance of his duties.
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