Teck Coal charged for alleged dumping harmful to fish in B.C

Environment Canada has laid five charges against Teck Coal Limited after the company was alleged to have dumped harmful substances into waters frequented by fish in southeastern B.C.

The department says the charges for violations of the Fisheries Act stem from an investigation that began in March 2023. 

It says officers were looking into an allegation that the resource company deposited a substance into Dry Creek from its Line Creek Operations coal mine and into the adjacent Fording River. Both bodies of water are frequented by fish, according to the ministry.

Environment Canada says a so-called deleterious substance can include oil, chemicals and pesticides that, if added to water, would degrade or alter the water quality to the point that it could harm fish.

Prior to this legal challenge, Teck Coal had also been fined tens of millions of dollars for contaminating waterways in B.C. over the years.

The five recent charges against the company have not been tested in court. The ministry's news release does not indicate a court date. 

On Thursday, Teck also announced that the company has closed the sale of its B.C. coal mining operations to Glencore. When reached for comment, the spokesperson for Teck referred CBC News to the Swiss commodities giant.

Glencore said in a statement to CBC News that the Elk Valley Resources business will be liable for any penalties payable from the charges.

"We will not comment further on ongoing legal matters but will honour the commitments made under the ICA and note that EVR has made significant progress in advancing the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan and will continue these efforts," the statement said.