Fort McMurray: Walmart guilty of selling fire-tainted food
Monday, October 1, 2018, 7:19 PM - Walmart Canada was fined $40,000 after pleading guilty Monday to 10 charges of selling contaminated food following the May 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire.
Walmart and its district loss prevention manager, Darren Kenyon, were fined $20,000 each. The retailer has also agreed to donate $130,000 to the Red Cross.
The retail giant and Kenyon pleaded guilty in Fort McMurray provincial court.
(RELATED: How will Canada manage wildfires in the future?)
"Unfortunately, during the confusion of the unprecedented 2016 wildfire crisis in Alberta, we didn't adequately carry out an order from Alberta Health to dispose of certain food items in the Fort Mac store prior to reopening," Walmart said Monday in a statement attributed to Rob Nicol, the company's vice-president of corporate affairs.
"For this, we sincerely apologize to our customers and Alberta Health. Food safety and the safety of our customers is our top priority. We have learned from this experience and will be better able to respond in future crises to support the community. As part of our commitment, Walmart has recently made a donation to the Red Cross to support ongoing disaster preparedness, relief and recovery operations."
"NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION"
Walmart and Kenyon admitted to displaying, storing and selling food that was not fit for human consumption after the wildfire.
The food included pickles, beef jerky, spices, pretzels, mints, stuffing mixes, vinegar, salad dressings, corn starch and yeast.
Originally, Walmart and four of its managers faced 174 charges under the Public Health Act. They alleged Walmart sold wildfire-tainted food including chocolate bars, pasta, breakfast cereal, bacon and cheese.
The remaining 164 charges — including counts that Walmart and managers lied to public health inspectors — were withdrawn. All charges against three other accused senior managers were dropped.
In accepting the guilty plea, Judge Charles Gardner told court he hoped it would deter future offenders and protect vulnerable populations such as people recovering from large-scale disasters.
"[The wildfire] was a particularly trying time for this community," Gardner said. "It was a very difficult situation for the people of Fort McMurray."
