A Quebec hauling and disposal company has been fined $125,000 for illegally attempting to export contaminated waste materials overseas, following an investigation by federal enforcement officers.
On October 14, the Court of Québec ordered Canacha Inc. to pay the fine after the company pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an environmental protection compliance order under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, according to a statement from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
The fine will go to the federal Environmental Damages Fund, which supports projects that repair or protect the environment.
The case dates back to spring 2022, when ECCC officers, working with the Canada Border Services Agency, intercepted several shipping containers declared as paper bales bound for India. The containers, stopped at the ports of Montreal and Halifax, were found to contain contaminated household waste mixed with plastics and metals. As a result of the shipment lacking proper authorization, it could not be exported.
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ECCC later issued a compliance order requiring Canacha Inc. to submit an environmental management plan and prove that its export activities complied with federal regulations. The company failed to do so by the September 2022 deadline.
The intercepted export containers were returned to the company so the recyclables could be separated and the waste destroyed.
Following the conviction, Canacha Inc. will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry, which lists corporations convicted of offences under Canada’s environmental laws.
Federal enforcement officers continue to monitor and intercept illegal exports of hazardous waste and recyclable materials at Canadian ports. Under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and related regulations, exporters must obtain permits before shipping any hazardous materials abroad.
Related Professional Development Event
Learn about Canada’s environmental regulations, enforcement trends and compliance strategies at the CANECT West Environmental Compliance and Due Diligence Training Event taking place in Calgary, Alberta, from November 19 – 20, 2025.
For over 30 years, CANECT has been Canada’s leading training and networking event for environmental compliance and due diligence, and we are pleased to now offer a conference for environmental professionals in western Canada.
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