Edmonton company fined $300K for contravening environmental protection order

February 21, 2025 Canuck

The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has fined an Edmonton company $303,769 for contravening an environmental protection order related to a release from an oilfield disposal well.

The release occurred at Cancen Oil Processors Inc.’s site in New Sarepta, Alta., about 50 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.

According to a decision published on the regulator’s website this week, Cancen had been made aware in April 2022 of the risks of leaving fluids in out-of-service tanks. In August 2022, the company received a notice of non-compliance for not containing a spill.

Then in February 2023, AER issued an environmental protection order, which the company did not follow.

AER’s decision said the release, which contained petroleum hydrocarbons, ethylene glycol, monoethanolamine and other harmful materials, had flowed into a man-made water runoff pond.

“Cancen was aware of the requirements to contain and remediate but did not take practical steps or pursue viable alternatives to comply or address the release,” said the AER decision released on Tuesday.

Tammy Loiselle, AER’s director of emissions, compliance, support and safety, met with representatives from the company in late January before making a final decision on the administrative penalty.

The company did not dispute the investigation findings and has told the AER that, starting in May, it plans to remediate through removing contaminated soil.

Loiselle said in her final penalty decision that there was “a lack of due diligence” and the company derived an economic benefit from the contravention.

The company was also issued an administrative penalty in 2021 for non-compliances related to another waste management facility.

The company, which is registered in Edmonton, has not yet responded to a request for comment from CBC News.

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