British Columbia’s Conservation Officer Service has disclosed that Canadian National Railway has set foot in a guilty plea in a Prince Rupert court for not obtaining the needed approval to apply pesticide along its tracks.
In a statement, the service says that the rail company has been fined $100,000 by the court.
According to the statement, a CN contractor applied pesticide along 150 kilometres of track between Terrace and Prince Rupert in August 2017.
The rail track runs along the Skeena River and the service disclosed that a nearby vegetation was damaged by the spray.
A joint investigation commenced when officers with Environment and Climate Change Canada detected a spray truck on the tracks that were discharging a mist from spray booms off the vehicle.
The service revealed CN Rail is directed to comply with the Integrated Pesticide Management Act of B. C., which requires consultation with the Public and First Nations before application.
