That Was Then...NDP Makes Mount Polley Prime Example of BCLiberal Environmental Malfeasance

Five Times Christy Clark and Her Big Donors Sold Out Our Environment

by BCNDP

April 22, 2017

1 - Letting Imperial Metals and Murray Edwards off with no fines or penalties for the worst mining disaster in Canadian history.


The remains of Mount Polley's tailings pond.
Source: YouTube screengrab.

In August 2014, a retaining wall on a tailings pond at Mount Polley mine collapsed, spilling 24,000,000 litres of toxic sludge and water near the small BC community of Likely. Over the next two years, an investigation determined that Imperial Metals, the owner of the mine, had been warned repeatedly since 2007 about the structural integrity of the wall – and did nothing about it.

In the end, BC taxpayers covered the $40 million dollar cleanup bill for the spill, while Imperial Metals received no fines or penalties for their failure to prevent it. The mine was allowed to restart operations Just two weeks ago, Mount Polley mine received permission to start releasing tailings into Shuswap lake. It is effective immediately until 2022.

Imperial Metals and Murray Edwards have donated $1.5 million to the BC Liberals. This includes the million-dollar fundraising dinner Murray Edwards personally organized for Christy Clark at Calgary’s Petroleum Club.

[This Is Now: In August 2017, having taken the reins of power in the province, the BC NDP condemn the spill, but not the company; promising to "investigate" why charges were not brought against Imperial Metals, while allowing the statute of limitations on the crime lapse without filing charges. Meanwhile, a First Nations organization took the initiative to act, filing 15 private prosecution charges against the company. No word yet if the NDP will support that effort. - Ape]