City of Hamilton pleads guilty to Chedoke Creek spill charges

HAMILTON, ON – Today, the City of Hamilton entered a guilty plea in the Ontario Court of Justice related to the Chedoke Creek spill charges laid by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in 2020 and received a fine of $2.1 million.

The City and the Crown reached an agreement with respect to the appropriate penalties, which was presented to the Court as a joint submission. In addition to the $2.1 million fine, the City will pay the Royal Botanical Gardens $364,500 for damages incurred as result of the discharges, as well as a $525,000 Victim Fine Surcharge for a total of $2,985,500.

Since the summer of 2018, the City has been working closely with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation & Parks (MECP) to investigate the incident and respond to the various Orders issued by MECP related to the spill, including to conduct targeted dredging of Chedoke Creek, and investigate and implement offsetting measures in Cootes Paradise. The City has spent considerable public resources complying with these Orders.

The City apologizes for its actions and the undue impact on the natural environment and is committed to continue working to improve its watershed management and wastewater treatment processing efforts. On July 17, 2023, targeted hydraulic dredging of Chedoke Creek to improve the Creek’s condition resumed. Dredging work is expected to take approximately three-and-a-half months to complete.