Husky opens wallet for P.A. years after spill

Husky Energy Inc. is committing hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund three public projects in Prince Albert, more than two years after a pipeline spill into the North Saskatchewan River wreaked havoc in the city of 35,000 people.

The Calgary-based energy company ’s commitments come almost a year after the city’s mayor, Greg Dionne, called for a $1-million cash “apology” on top of the roughly $10 million paid to the city as reimbursement for spillrelated costs.

The money is expected to pay for completion of the Rotary Trail, replacement of an old paddling pool and a double-sided digital billboard on which the city can post advertisements, according to City of Prince Albert news releases.

Dionne said the total amount of the three-year partnership between the city and the company will be released on Thursday. It is at least $350,000, which will cover the cost of finishing the trail, according to the city.

Husky spokesman Mel Duvall said the company was “very appreciative of the way the City of Prince Albert worked with us in the days and months following the spill.”

“They were a great partner and since that time we have looked for ways that we could partner with the city to make some meaningful contributions to community initiatives.”

Husky’s commitment comes 28 months after ground movement caused one of its pipelines to fail. The broken pipeline was not detected for at least seven hours; an estimated 225,000 litres of heavy crude spilled near and into the river.

Oil slicks sliding down the river forced downstream communities to establish secondary drinking water sources. Prince Albert built two emergency pipelines to nearby rivers and imposed a water rationing system.

The city was able to reopen its river intake in September 2016,

We have looked for ways ... to make some meaningful contributions to community initiatives.

more than two months after the spill.

“I do believe they owe us an apology,” Dionne told Postmedia News in February.

Husky has not disclosed how much it has paid to communities affected by the spill, but its corporate filings show that the spill cost its partly owned subsidiary at least $107 million.

Earlier this year, the company was slapped with 10 charges under three pieces of federal and provincial legislation, which could lead to millions of dollars in fines.