On April 11 CaNickel Mining Limited was ordered to pay 200 thousand dollars after pleading guilty in the Provincial Court of Manitoba to two offences.  These were violations of the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations made pursuant to the Fisheries Act. 

 Following an investigation by Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers CaNickel Mining Limited was charged in December 2018 with one count of depositing or allowing the deposit of an effluent that contained a deleterious substance, in excess of authorized limits, in a place where the effluent may enter water frequented by fish namely Bucko Lake near the town of Wabowden. Sampling conducted by the mine showed that effluent released from the mine during the month of July 2017 contained higher-than-authorized levels of the radioactive element radium 226.

In addition the company was charged with one count relating to a failure to follow requirements to collect and test effluent samples on scheduled dates in 2017. Effluent sampling is a mandatory condition of an authorization to release mine effluent under the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations. Sample testing is used to verify that the effluent meets the standards set to protect fish and fish habitat.