On Nov. 26, 2024, 1656758 Alberta Inc. operating under the firm name and style of Enviro Container and Cleaning Solutions Inc. pleaded guilty for contravening the Water Act. It was sentenced to a fine of $12,000, inclusive of a victim fine surcharge.
The company was using water from an unlicensed water well for washing empty plastic totes at its intermediate bulk container reconditioning and recycling facility in Red Deer County. The water well could not be licenced for a commercial purpose because it drew from multiple aquifers, and so violated the Water Act.
As a part of the creative sentencing, $11,500 will go towards supporting the Canada WaterPortal Society to modernize its website and promote information about groundwater, focusing on Alberta and the Red Deer watershed.
Alberta is committed to the protection of the environment, providing regulatory assurance and ensuring environmental compliance. This includes requiring those diverting water for a commercial purpose to obtain a license. All Water Act approval applications undergo a detailed regulatory review before they can be authorized to proceed.
Quick facts
- Alberta’s Water Act supports and promotes the conservation and management of water through the use and allocation of water in the province.
- The Water Act addresses Albertans’ rights to divert water and the types of instruments and decision-making processes available for diversion and use of water.
- If you have information about a spill, release or emergency that could damage the environment, call 1-800-222-6514, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- The Canada WaterPortal Society’s mission is to educate and inform Canadians on the value of water as a vital resource by providing objective information.