Early on November 8th several hundred litres of furnace oil made its way into the Little Sackville River, after a line was deliberately cut on a tank outside Buddy's Billiards on Sackville Drive.
Sackville Rivers Association president Walter Regan says the spill is a blow to the river and the community. The oil could damage salmon populations on the river, killing eggs already laid or diverting spawning salmon from heading up the Little Sackville. Invertebrates and birds may also be affected.
Regan was also president of the SRA in 2002 when another major tragedy killed thousands of fish in the river. A broken water main forced thousands of litres of water through acidic rock infill, causing a drastic spike in the river's PH level, causing the biggest fish kill the area has seen.
In this interview with CKDU News, Regan describes the potential effects of the spill, and the challenges facing urban rivers like the Little Sackville River.
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