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Fine Reinstated Against Ontario Company

June 26, 2000

A major fine levied against a Sudbury, Ontario mining firm for safety and health violations was recently reinstated to stress deterrence.

EHS Today Staff

The full C$250,000 ($167,000) value of each of two fines levied against Sudbury, Ontario, nickel mining firm Inco Ltd. for health and safety violations was reinstated recently to confirm the importance of the deterrence principle, according to the Ontario Ministry of Labour.

The Ontario Court of Appeal restored the full fines assessed against Inco for two violations of Ontario''s Occupational Health and Safety Act in relation to the 1996 death of a miner, said the ministry.

Inco''s appeal of the fines led to a court-ordered 50 percent reduction.

"This is the first time the Ontario Court of Appeal has addressed the issue of deterrence in sentencing under the Act since the maximum fine for a corporation was increased in 1990 from C$25,000 ($16,750) to C$250,000 ($167,500)," the ministry said.

"In a 1982 decision, the Ontario Court of Appeal held that deterrence is of ''paramount importance'' in sentencing under the Act."

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.