More than 100 people gather along highway 144 to protest Gogama derailment clean-up

More than one hundred protesters slowed down cars and trucks along a northern Ontario highway today.

The protesters along Highway 144 were mainly residents of the nearby town of Gogama and theMattagami First Nation-about 2 hours north of Sudbury.

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Protesters say they're concerned about the clean-upwork that was done following a major train derailment near their home.

In March 2015, a CN train derailed and caught on fire, sending more than one million litres of crude oil into the nearby river.

CN cleaned up the site, but traces of oil still remain in the water.

Gogama's fire chiefMike Benson, who has taken his concerns all the way to Prime Minister Trudeau,was at the protest.

"We're here because CN left the oil in our river. We want our river cleaned. It's running down the river now down into the lake," he said.

"We are serious. We're not playing anymore. This [protest] isstep number one. We want that oil cleaned and we want that oil cleaned now."

Protesters stopped vehicles and asked driversto sign a petition that will be sent to Queen's Park and CN.

Both CN and the Ministry of the Environment have statedthere are still traces of oil in the waters aroundGogama, butsay the oil poses no danger to people or wildlife.

A CN spokesperson told CBC Newsthatattempting to take more oil out of the waters nearGogamawill do more harm than good to the local environment.