Irving fined $4M after rail disaster probe

SAINT JOHN, N.B. — Irving Oil has been ordered to pay $4 million after pleading guilty to 34 counts stemming from the investigation into the 2013 rail disaster in Lac Mégantic, Que.

The charges under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act result from a joint investigation by Transport Canada and the RCMP that was prompted by the deadly train derailment.

On July 6, 2013, a train carrying 7.7 million litres of crude oil sped toward the small Quebec town at 104 km/h before derailing, killing 47 people in the resulting fire and explosions.

“Today, we close another chapter in this tragic event,” Transportation Minister Marc Garneau wrote in a statement Thursday.

The federal Public Prosecution Service said Thursday that a provincial court judge in Saint John, N.B., ordered Irving Oil to pay fines totalling $400,320.

It will also pay nearly $3.6 million for the implementation of research programs in safety standards under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act and its regulations.

The offences were committed over eight months involving transportation of 14,000 rail cars of crude oil for Irving Oil. Irving Oil had not complied with all applicable safety requirements by not classifying the crude oil being carried by trains as a dangerous good.