First Nation says federal government is absent after major spill settlement – Times Colonist
Jun 15, 2026
Nearly a decade after a tug spilled diesel into the waters of the Heiltsuk Nation, they say a settlement is only one step toward recovery.
Nearly a decade after a tug spilled diesel into the territorial waters of a B.C. First Nation and shut down key harvesting grounds, the Heiltsuk Nation says a new settlement is only one step toward recovery.
The Heiltsuk have reached a settlement with Kirby Corporation, the Texas-based marine transportation company that owns the Nathan E. Stewart tug. The tug hit a reef near Bella Bella in 2016 and spilled 110,000 litres of diesel and lubricants, fouling more than 350 kilometres of shoreline and shutting down a key clam harvesting area.
