Public Prosecution Service of Canada: Canadian National Railway Convicted in Spills in Alberta and British Columbia

* Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release.

Mon May 25, 2009 4:13pm EDT 

  STONY PLAIN, ALBERTA AND NORTH VANCOUVER, BRITISH
COLUMBIA, May 25 (MARKET WIRE) -- 
Canadian National Railway Company (CN) was sentenced today to a
combination of fines, penalties and environmental measures, following
guilty pleas in Alberta and British Columbia provincial courts to charges
under the Fisheries Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act.

    Agreed Statements of Fact were filed today in both courts by CN and the
Public Prosecution Service of Canada, representing the Crown. They relate
to train derailments in August 2005 that resulted in the spill of Heavy
Fuel Oil and Pole Treating Oil near Lake Wabamun, AB and the spill of
caustic soda into the Cheakamus River, BC.

    The Provincial Court of Alberta ordered CN to pay fines and penalties
totalling $1 million. In addition, it ordered CN to contribute
information to Environment Canada's Environmental Emergencies Management
System related to bodies of water near CN rail tracks in both provinces.
The information for this environmental sensitivity mapping system aims to
help prevent, contain, mitigate and clean up spills in the natural
environment. The Provincial Court of British Columbia ordered CN to pay
fines and penalties totalling $400,000.

    The penalties ordered by both courts will be applied to promoting the
conservation and protection of fish and fish habitat through specific
projects identified in the orders, and part of the Alberta penalty will
be applied to the conservation and protection of migratory waterfowl.

    The Public Prosecution Service of Canada is responsible for providing
prosecution-related legal advice to law enforcement agencies and for
prosecuting offences under federal jurisdiction, including offences under
the Fisheries Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act.


 
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Contacts:
Public Prosecution Service of Canada
Larry Reynolds
780-495-7423

Public Prosecution Service of Canada
John Cliffe
604-666-2991

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