The number of B.C. spills involving gasoline, diesel, and other hazardous substances are trending upward and plans to respond to a major spill are out of date.
Meanwhile, the provincial ministry responsible for preparing and responding to spills has also B次元官网网址渃onsistentlyB次元官网网址� failed to notify First Nations communities of high-risk incidents.
These findings appear in a new report by Auditor-General Michael Pickup after an audit of Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy management of hazardous spills.
PickupB次元官网网址檚 report shows spills have been B次元官网网址済enerally increasing since 2018B次元官网网址� with 2021-22 being a recent peak with 5,306. While the number dropped to 4,889 in 2022-23, that figure was higher than in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21.
The audit B次元官网网址� conducted of the Environmental Emergency Program between Nov. 2020 and June 2023 B次元官网网址� also found the ministry B次元官网网址渄id not have a current provincial-level plan for responding to a major spill.B次元官网网址� It notes that the province has two response plans in case of a major spill, but each was created in 2023 and both need updating.
On top of its failure to consistently notify First Nations, the report also found that the ministry had left legislators in the dark about the effectiveness of the spill response regime, by failing to meet legal reporting requirements.
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The audit also found that ministry staff had not done enough to make polluters pay. Looking at the period between April 2016 and February 2023, ministerial staff had recovered about $900,000 in related costs with about $13.9 million outstanding.
B次元官网网址淎s the deficiencies identified in the audit were in key areas impacting the ministryB次元官网网址檚 overall management of hazardous spills, we concluded that the ministry had not effectively managed hazardous spills,B次元官网网址� it reads.
PickupB次元官网网址檚 report includes nine recommendations with the ministry having accepted all of them.
B次元官网网址淭he ministry recognizes the importance of having a current provincial hazardous material response plan,B次元官网网址� it reads. The ministry added that the plan will align with revisions to the Emergency and Disaster Management Act.
Environment Minister George Heyman acknowledged in a statement that B次元官网网址渋mprovementsB次元官网网址an be made in our systems and our frameworks to ensure greater effectiveness,B次元官网网址� adding his ministry has already taken concrete steps.
B次元官网网址淭he safety of British Columbians and the preservation of public health and our environment are paramount,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e take the auditor generalB次元官网网址檚 findings very seriously. We thank them for their work and we are fully committed to continue to implement the recommendations as soon as possible.B次元官网网址�
