Fifteen charges under the federal Fisheries Act have been laid against Imperial Metals Corp., more than 10 years after a tailings pond collapsed the Mount Polley mine, spilling more than 20 million cubic metres of wastewater into B.C. Interior waterways.
The collapse sent mine waste and sludge into Hazeltine Creek, Quesnel Lake and Polley Lake, creating a major environmental hazard.
Residents in the area near the mine were put under a complete water ban. The mine was repaired and reinforced and has been fully operational since July 2017.
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One month after operations resumed, the provincial government announced there would be no provincial charges into the tailings dam collapse. The following year, the B.C. Prosecution Service ruled a stay in proceedings in a private prosecution related to the tailings pond spill.
More to come…
–with files from Sean Boynton and The Canadian Press
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