Valero Energy Inc.–Jean Gaulin Refinery must pay fine of $500,000 for environmental offences

Non-compliance with a directive issued following an oil discharge into the stream on the Chapais farm

Québec city, Quebec - March 1, 2017 - Environment and Climate Change Canada

Effective enforcement of Canada’s environmental- and wildlife-protection laws is one of the ways that Environment and Climate Change Canada fulfills its commitment to clear air, clean water and the conservation of wildlife species and their habitat.

On February 24, 2017, Valero Energy Inc.-Jean Gaulin Refinery (formerly Ultramar Ltd.) in Lévis, Quebec, pleaded guilty to six counts, and it was sentenced to pay the sum of $500,000. The company was order to pay a $120,000 fine for failing to comply with an order issued by an officer, thereby committing an offence under paragraph 40(3)(g) of the Fisheries Act. The court also ordered the company to pay the sum of $380,000, pursuant to paragraph 79.2(f), for the financial benefits it obtained through these violations.

The investigation conducted by Environment and Climate Change Canada found that Valero Energy Inc.-Jean Gaulin Refinery had committed the following violation six times:

• Failure to comply with a directive requiring rehabilitation and environmental monitoring work issued following the deposit of a deleterious substance in water frequented by fish.

The total amount will be deposited in the Environmental Damages Fund, which is administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada.

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Quick facts

• The Department’s enforcement officers conduct inspections and investigations to verify compliance with the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act. They ensure that regulated organizations are in compliance with environmental legislation. As a result of this conviction, Valero Energy Inc. will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry.
• The Environmental Damages Fund, administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada and established in 1995, provides a mechanism for directing funds received as a result of fines, court orders, and voluntary payments to priority projects that will benefit our environment.

Contacts

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Environment and Climate Change Canada
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