Husky Energy is scheduled to appear in Lloydminster provincial court on March 29, 2018 to face one charge under the provincial Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2010 (EMPA, 2010), as well as several other charges under federal legislation, according to a March 26 statement from Premier Scott Moe’s office.
A release from the federal government states that, on March 22, Environment and Climate Change Canada laid a number of charges against Husky Energy Inc. and Husky Oil Operations Limited relating to the blended heavy crude-oil spill, in July 2016, which impacted the North Saskatchewan River near Maidstone. The Government of Saskatchewan also filed a charge under the Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2010. These charges result from a 19-month joint federal-provincial investigation.
The release also states there are a total of 10 charges which include one charge under subsection 36(3) of the federal Fisheries Act, one charge under subsection 38(5) of the federal Fisheries Act, six charges under subsection 38(6) of the federal Fisheries Act, one charge under the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, and one charge under Saskatchewan's Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2010.
All charges stem from the spill of a 225,000 litres of oil from a Husky pipeline near Maidstone in July of 2016. That spill saw some of the heavy oil and diluent find its way into the North Saskatchewan River, spawning a substantial cleanup effort. Contamination was reported several hundred kilometres downstream, past Prince Albert. Several communities, including North Battleford and Prince Albert, had to take emergency measures to find alternate safe drinking water supplies until the river water was considered once again safe to drink from, several months later.
The EMPA charge alleges that Husky did “unlawfully permit the discharge of a substance to the environment that caused an adverse effect.” The maximum fine for the EMPA charge is $1,000,000.
The investigation report led by the Ministry of Energy and Resources will not be released until all prosecution processes and any appeals have been concluded, the premier’s office said, adding “As this matter is now before the courts, the Government of Saskatchewan will not be providing further comment at this time.”
The federal release makes a similar statement:
"All charges are currently before the Court, and they have not yet been proven. Under Canadian law, those charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Therefore, Environment and Climate Change Canada and Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency, which has a responsibility for the specific charge under the provincial Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2010, will not be commenting further at this time."
