An aging sewage treatment plant will continue to release PCBs and heavy metals into the Lower Mainland’s coastal waters without upgrades, say environmental groups who tried to prosecute the province and Metro Vancouver for polluting.
The case, launched by Ecojustice lawyers on behalf of the T-Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation, United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union and Georgia Strait Alliance, was halted yesterday by the federal government just months before it was to go to trial.
The groups allege that the Iona sewage treatment plant in Richmond, operated by Metro Vancouver and approved by the province, violated the Fisheries Act by releasing toxins into salmon-bearing waters.
In May, the Vancouver Sun reported that the Iona plant and two other sewage treatment facilities in the region have failed dozens of toxicity tests since 2001, but Environment Canada has laid no pollution charges.
“It’s a very strange situation,” said Christianne Wilhelmson of the Georgia Strait Alliance. “Everyone knows what’s going on but nobody wants to do anything about it. The government is supposed to enforce its own laws.”
Had the lawsuit proceeded, the province and Metro Vancouver could have faced a summary conviction charge of up to $2.4 million, based on allegations that Iona discharge toxicity violated the Fisheries Act on eight occasions, and the fact that the maximum charge under the act is $300,000 per day.
Metro Vancouver is currently updating its liquid waste management plan. A draft version projects a $1 billion cost for new or upgraded treatment facilities for Vancouver’s sewage, but did not specifically commit to any upgrades to the Iona plant.
In a press release the groups stated they would now focus on the public consultation for this plan.
Metro Vancouver’s waste management committee chair Marvin Hunt could not be reached for comment by deadline.
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de Falla
3 years ago
Hope shall prevail
Those bringing the case against Metro Vancouver and the Province will no doubt take heart that the new Vancouver City Hall includes not only Robertson, a prince amongst environmentalists, but environmentalist Reimer and former United Fishermen staffer Meggs. They can rightly expect that Metro Vancouver should no longer require the compulsion of the courts to do the right thing, as the City of Vancouver - in addition to leftist Burnaby and centrist Surrey - will be highly motivated to demonstrate a new found awareness of responsibility and commitment to action on this file. Indeed, the potential $2+ million can now be put to better use funding improvements to the sewage system. Hopefully, the first new Vision budget will include a line item for this essential upgrade.
Jabberocky
3 years ago
Great tidbit... but not up to snuff for Tyee
I am disappointed in this article. It fails to show the process the groups used to initiate the suit, who other than the "federal government" halted this process, and how they halted this process.
Shoddy reporting - I've come to expect more from Tyee.