15 Charges Filed Over 2014 Mount Polley Mine Disaster in B.C.

Imperial Metals and two other companies face Fisheries Act charges a decade after one of Canada's worst environmental disasters.

The charges stem from the 2014 collapse of a tailings dam at the Mount Polley mine, which released over 20 million cubic meters of toxic waste into waterways in British Columbia.
Imperial Metals Corp., Mount Polley Mining Corp., and Wood Canada Ltd. are all named in the federal Fisheries Act charges, confirmed by federal and provincial prosecution services.
The environmental disaster contaminated Hazeltine Creek, Quesnel Lake, and Polley Lake, leading to a water ban for nearby residents and long-term ecological damage.
An independent report in 2015 attributed the collapse to flawed dam design, citing a failure to account for the geological complexity of the area.
The companies are scheduled to appear in court on December 18, but Imperial Metals has declined to comment further as the case is ongoing.