EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the owner of Old School Camp
MATACHEWAN – An investigation is underway after allegations that a business is dumping raw sewage into the Montreal River.
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) is looking into reports that Old School Camp in Matachewan has improperly disposed of waste.
Nathaniel Oudyk, a contract worker for Alamos Gold mine, told TimminsToday he reported the incident after smelling a strong sewage odour and seeing a pump leading from an open hole toward the river.
The business owner denied the allegations in an email to TimminsToday.
"All inspections came out false. I don’t think I need to talk about it anymore," Rajneesh Kumar wrote.
Oudyk said the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. in late February while he was staying at the camp.
“When I got out of my truck, I noticed the smell of sewage. I checked my tires to see if I had driven through something, but I didn't see anything,” he said.
Oudyk then walked around a snowbank and saw an open hole in the ground with a pump next to it and a hose leading toward the river. It’s a major water system that flows towards Elk Lake and the Ottawa River.
“I've used pumps like that before, and I'm pretty sure they're the type forest firefighters use. There’s not really any justifiable reason to hook one of those up to a septic tank,” he said.
Oudyk said the pump was unattended when he arrived, but by 6:20 a.m. it was gone.
He reported it to the MECP that night, and received a call from an officer the next morning.
A few days later, Oudyk saw workers moving the pump from the basement of the restaurant building at the camp.
“I just said ‘Hi’ to them, and after a short conversation with the site manager, the pump disappeared,” he said.
Since then, Oudyk has spoken with officials, including the chief of Matachewan First Nation, and said the issue is gaining traction.
The ministry told TimminsToday it has carried out multiple site visits and interviewed complainants to gather more details about the allegations.
“We are committed to taking further action as appropriate, in line with our compliance policy, to ensure the protection of human health and the environment,” said Lindsay Davidson, media relations advisor for MECP.
Cheryl Swanson, CAO for the Township of Matachewan, said the municipality became aware of the situation on Feb. 24 and contacted the health unit, which then reached out to the ministry.
“We’ve done everything we can do,” she said.
Swanson said the township consulted the Northeastern Public Health (NEPH) and contacted Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof.
The township also contacted the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) to ensure the town’s drinking water was tested. Swanson said it was confirmed safe. The agency last completed a test last week, Swanson said.
“Our drinking water wells are adjacent to the Montreal River, but they are drilled deep and are not connected to the river system. They are tested regularly, and everything is fine,” she said.
Swanson said the ministry has not shared any details, as the investigation is still ongoing.
“I was talking with MECP today, and they said there’s nothing we can do as a municipality until the investigation is closed,” she said.
If no action is taken following the ministry's investigation, Swanson said she plans to escalate the matter further with the provincial government.
In the meantime, the township has issued a public notice urging residents to report any suspicious activity related to waste disposal in the river.
“I know they’re going to be doing testing in the spring once the snow is off the river as a result of the investigation,” Swanson said.
Oudyk hopes the investigation leads to accountability.
“I'm hoping that justice is served. I'm not really sure what the legal ramifications for this would be. I'm hoping that it's not just a slap on the wrist kind of fine, and that there's some kind of actual recourse for the person who runs the business,” he said.
“I’m very into protecting the environment, and I think that kind of behaviour is deplorable and just not acceptable. If people partake in that kind of action, they shouldn't really be able to run a business, or at the very least, they should be very closely monitored.”