Buffalo Airways fined $55K for fuel transport charges

Buffalo Airways was fined $55,000 in a Yellowknife courtroom this morning forthree convictionsunder the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act.

The company had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges.

The charges relate to a diesel fuel haul Buffalo made to two remote exploration camps in the spring of 2012.

The airline, based in Hay River, N.W.T. and is featured in the popular show Ice Pilots, made 27 separate flights during the delivery.

During all of them, the airline used tanks that were bigger than the law allows andimproperly labelled. Staff alsofailed to fill out the proper paperwork.

Company official Rod McBryan said Buffalo had been using the tanks for 35 years.

It replaced them shortly after being charged.

The prosecutor had asked for a fine of $50,000 plus an order that Buffalo pay $150,000 to Transportation Canada for research.

But the judge said the Crown failed to show what the objective of the research would be.

Buffalo has been given six months to pay the fine.