Fuel Spill : Kahnawake files motion against City of Châteauguay

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake is claiming $500,000 in damages from the City of Châteauguay related to the fuel spill that occurred in February.

The Mohawk Council has initiated legal proceedings against its neighbor, as it believes that "the Châteauguay Fire Department failed to adequately address the spill during their response, potentially exacerbating the damages suffered by Kahnawake."

They also criticize the City for not notifying Quebec’s Ministry of the Environment and Environment Canada about the February 1st fuel spill, "raising concerns about a lack of transparency and potential environmental impact."

On February 9, 2024, Kahnawake authorities were alerted by members of the community that there was a smell of fuel in the Zachary Road area. The presence of fuel was confirmed in a nearby ditch. Later, fuel was also found in the Suzanne River, which runs through the territories of Châteauguay and Kahnawake.

Tanker Truck

A few days earlier, on February 1st, Châteauguay firefighters were called to 2325 Ford Boulevard because the property owner requested that a tanker truck stored there be towed. "The tanker truck was leaking a limited amount of liquid at the time. The firefighters inspected the scene and noted that the leak was contained, with no contamination spreading to the site, the storm sewer, or the ditch," explained Châteauguay Mayor Éric Allard in an interview on February 29, adding that "the firefighters knocked on the tanker to see if there was anything inside, and it was empty."

The tanker owner then committed "to properly disposing of the few liters collected in sealed containers and to have the truck towed," according to the City. Quebec and Canadian environmental authorities were notified about ten days later when Kahnawake discovered the spill on its territory.

Cleanup Damages

In its request, Kahnawake is seeking $500,000 in damages for the costs incurred in cleanup and decontamination. "The Mohawk Council has carried many works to decontaminate the lands polluted by the fuel spill, including the installation of retention booms and absorbent booms to trap and collect the fuel and the removal and disposal of several areas of debris (sticks and vegetation) coated in fuel," the council wrote in its request filed at the Valleyfield courthouse.

In an interview with the Journal, Kahnawake Grand Chief Cody Diabo added that there are long-term impacts from this spill. "We will need to monitor the area for the next  two years because it spread into wetlands where we couldn't intervene with machinery as it would have caused even more damage," he explained.
"We want those responsible to pay for this spill," added the Grand Chief.
The total amounts of fuel spilled have never been made public.

The City of Châteauguay «is both surprised and disappointed by the process initiated by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke».  «The City has always been committed to maintaining good relations with the neighboring community of Kahnawà:ke and hopes that this will not affect the dialogue and collaboration between the two communities», wrote the City in a press release. It is currently analyzing the lawsuit filed by the Mohawk Council and the City won’t make any further comments on the matter at this time.