EDITOR'S NOTE: A version of this article originally appeared on SooToday on Sept. 13. It is being republished here for readers who may have missed it.
Crews from the City of Sault Ste. Marie immediately began to contain the spill, working through the overnight hours. The waste motor oil was seen on April 21 running down the length of the pathway between First Student and Lafarge Canada at the end of Industrial Court A. From there, the black oil pooled in a wetland at the edge of a creek that feeds into Fort Creek.
Although the company has not responded to questions about the cost of the months-long cleanup, SooToday reached out to the City of Sault Ste. Marie to determine the cost of the containment in the initial hours before the ministry took over. City solicitor Karen Fields said the following expenses have been filed with the insurance company representing First Student:Granular : $5,335.