The company responsible for spilling 32,000 litres of jet fuel into Lemon Creek in the Slocan Valley could face charges, government officials told a packed community hall in Winlaw, B.C. Tuesday night.


Bud Stirman, an inspector with Transport Canada, said that if investigators find that Executive Flight Centre, the company that was transporting the fuel, violated the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, he can “file charges of non-compliance to the regulations.”



Charges, however, will likely have to wait until Transport Canada has carried out a full investigation of the spill site.


Executive Flight Centre currently has about 80 people on the ground in the Slocan Valley helping with the clean up efforts, said Wayne Smook, a spokesperson with the company.


Smook offered an apology on behalf of the company to more than 200 residents that attended the community meeting.


The spill has left some homes and farms reeking of fuel, and three rivers in the valley are still no-go zones. Health officials at the meeting said it would be at least five more days until residents can safely use their water again, but it could take longer.


People in the region have been left with many questions about the future of the valley’s rivers and what the spill could mean for their families and businesses.


“I’m really concerned about the health of my family and my community,” said Jane Flontron, a resident of the Slocan Valley who spoke at the meeting.


“If my linens smell like fuel there is no way I am going to eat from my garden or feed it to my family.”