On December 15th, a fine of $1 million was imposed on the local mill, which is owned and operated by Canadian Kraft Paper Industries.

The company pleaded guilty to a charge under the Federal Fisheries Act, admitting that in 2019, almost 181 million litres of black liquor, a toxic manufacturing by-product, was unintentionally released into the Saskatchewan River through a leaky pipe at its mill in The Pas.

This incident has caused severe harm to the river's ecosystem, which is home to various fish species and is also used by locals as a food resource.

As part of its penalty, Canadian Kraft Paper Industries must conduct an independent environmental audit within the next 12 months and provide recommendations on avoiding similar incidents in the future.

The fine will be allocated to the Government of Canada's Environmental Damages Fund and utilized to fund projects to improve the environment.