Numbered company 1141536 B.C. Ltd, for instance, owns three lots at 200 Front St. in New Westminster, B.C. They’ve been fined more than $33,000 for their lack of diligence in handling a toxic spill that resulted from a large fire that occurred in 2020. On September 13, the fire started and quickly spread across the pier. It caught fire on a neighboring city-owned lot, roasting historic homes and prompting unknown environmental contamination.
The fire seared for days, creating a blackened path of destruction as it moved. It devastated the fishing pier, beach volleyball courts, eco hammocks, urban beach, and a creative public art installation. This debris from the fire included dangerous materials like creosote ties and asphalt. This debris spilled into the Fraser River, constituting a “spill” under British Columbia’s Environmental Management Act. The pollution has further alarmed the public due to the possible harm it may cause the local aquatic life—especially the fish.
In the wake of the tragic fire, Numbered company 1141536 B.C. Ltd endured a firestorm of criticism. People lambasted them on multiple occasions for failing to deal with the longer-term implications of this spill. The company had received four similar warnings in the five years prior to these fines for similar environmental violations. As of 2017, an environmental impact statement showed that nearly every PAH concentration the company tested on the property was at or below detection limits. This was true even before the unprecedented fire broke out.
In 2023, Ministry of Environment was suing Numbered company 1141536 B.C. Ltd. for a little over $56,000! That demand came after the company’s first contractor failed to appropriately test for levels of contamination. The company stopped short of determining the long-term effects of the spill. They did not consider these impacts between October 11, 2024 and December 3, 2024.
Devinder Grewal has a Numbered company 1141536 B.C. His records, though, will soon become public, with his current term running through January 16, 2024. On May 8, 2025, Jatwinder Grewal called the ministry. He told them that the billion-dollar company was working with consultants to clean up and remediate the contaminated property.
Environmental advocates have warned that the spill’s impact on the surrounding ecosystem could be catastrophic.
“has created at least a risk of harm to the environment, including aquatic life in the Fraser River.” – Bourgeois
The company has been given a period of 30 days to contest the decision on the penalty. The case’s ramifications underscore persistent failures in environmental governance and industry accountability here in B.C.
