Two companies charged in massive fuel leak
By Judy Cole, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, River Valley Sun
Two companies have been charged with violating environmental laws following a massive fuel leak at a local gas station on the Beardsley Road near Woodstock.
Irving Oil Limited and Grant Enterprises (1984) Ltd. have each been charged under the Clean Environment Act with failing to immediately report a leak of a petroleum product and releasing a contaminant into the environment between Aug. 1, 2024, and Dec. 13, 2024. The two offences carry a potential fine of up to $1 million.
Lawyer Matthew Hayes, K.C., from McInnes Cooper, represented both businesses in Woodstock Provincial Court on July 28. The companies return to court for plea on Sept. 15 at 1:30 p.m. Crown Prosecutor in the case is Patrick Wilbur, and Tuesday’s proceedings were heard by Judge Rose Campbell.
The charges related to a massive diesel fuel leak that took place over time from a fuel storage system at the Beardsley Road Irving. Since the leak was discovered in December 2024, more than 180,000 litres of diesel were recovered from the soil around the gas station.
