Environment and Climate Change Canada Enforcement opens a formal investigation into Imperial Oil Ltd.’s Kearl Oil Sands Site

May 4, 2023 – Edmonton, Alberta – Environment and Climate Change Canada

Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers have a mandate to enforce federal environmental legislation aimed at pollution prevention and protecting Canada’s wildlife and biodiversity. Environment and Climate Change Canada takes pollution incidents and threats to the environment very seriously.

Environment and Climate Change Canada Enforcement has opened an investigation into a suspected contravention of subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act at Imperial Oil Ltd.’s Kearl Oil Sands Site. Subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act prohibits the deposit of a deleterious substance into water frequented by fish, or in any place where the deleterious substance may enter any such water.

Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers and environmental emergencies officers have carried out inspections at the site since they became aware of the incident on February 7, 2023. In addition to the investigation, officers will continue to monitor the mitigation measures taken by Imperial Oil Ltd. to prevent impacts to fish bearing water, as required by the Fisheries Act Direction issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada Enforcement on March 10, 2023.

As the investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to provide further information on this case at this time.

Quick facts

• Generally, an enforcement file moves from inspection to investigation if and when the purpose of the collection of information shifts from the verification of compliance or for the purpose of taking administrative enforcement action, to that of collecting evidence for a potential prosecution.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada administers and enforces the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act. These provisions prohibit the deposit of deleterious substances into water frequented by fish, or in a place where they may enter water frequented by fish.
• A Fisheries Act Direction is a compliance tool that may be issued by enforcement officers when there is an unauthorized deposit of a deleterious substance into water frequented by fish or when there is a serious and imminent danger of such an incident, and immediate action is necessary.

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Contacts

Media Relations
Environment and Climate Change Canada
819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
media@ec.gc.ca