A company from Quebec is being fined $120,000 for discharging hydraulic oil in the Kapuskasing River.
Hydromega Services pleaded guilty to the charge on Wednesday. The company specializes in the development, construction and commissioning of electricity generating facilities including the Big Beaver Falls Generating Station. Hydromega reported that the incident likely happened when they shut down one of their turbines for service several years ago.
The Minsitry had received a report of a spill of up to 100 liters of oil in the river in 2013, but ended up finding much more than was initially reported. A total of 1,700 litres of hydrolic oil was recovered from the Kapuskasing River with more expected to have escaped downstream. Hydromega Services was also fined an additional $30,000 and given 60 days to pay the fine.
The Kapuskasing River is home to 21 species of fish and a number of commercial fur-bearing animals such as beaver, otters, mink, marten, weasel and muskrat.
