Fifteen charges under the federal Fisheries Act have been brought against Imperial Metals Corp., over a decade after a tailings pond at the Mount Polley mine collapsed, releasing over 20 million cubic metres of wastewater into waterways in British Columbia’s Interior.
The disaster caused mine waste and sludge to flow into Hazeltine Creek, Quesnel Lake, and Polley Lake, resulting in significant environmental damage. Local residents were subjected to a complete water ban. The mine was subsequently repaired, reinforced, and has been fully operational since July 2017.
A month after the mine resumed operations, the provincial government announced no provincial charges would be pursued regarding the tailings dam collapse. The following year, the B.C. Prosecution Service discontinued proceedings in a private prosecution linked to the spill.