(Montreal) The Canadian National Railway Company (CN) has been fined $8 million for violating the Fisheries Act twice, during train derailments nine years ago.
In a statement released Monday, Environment and Climate Change Canada confirmed that the railway company had pleaded guilty to two charges in connection with two incidents that occurred on February 14 and March 7, 2015 near Gladwick and Gogama, Ontario.
“Both derailments occurred after a piece of track broke under the weight of a moving train. Canadian National Railway Company failed to exercise due diligence in maintaining the tracks,” the statement read.
The derailments resulted in oil spills, which is prohibited by law.
Samples taken at the site by Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers revealed that between 1.06 million litres and 2.6 million litres of crude oil were released into the environment, including into a nearby creek, river and wetlands.
The Ontario court on Monday fined CN $8 million, which will be paid into the Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund to support projects that have a positive impact on the natural environment.
Since the incidents, CN has repaired its infrastructure and implemented corrective measures to restore natural environments, such as a tree planting program and the creation of a spawning lagoon near the Gogama Bridge.