KENTVILLE, NS – The trial for the operators of a waste transfer station and a construction and demolition debris disposal site charged under the Environment Act following a fire at their North River Road site in March 2016 is set to unfold over several days beginning in late January.
Shaffer Enterprises, the construction and demolition debris disposal site, and a Nova Scotia numbered company, the waste transfer station, are facing a total of 20 charges. Derrick and Barbara Shaffer operate the numbered company.
3144393 Nova Scotia Limited is facing six counts of contravening a term or condition of an approval. It’s alleged that the offences were committed between Nov. 6, 2015, and March 26, 2016.
Derrick Shaffer, carrying on business as Shaffer Enterprises, faces 14 charges. These include 12 counts dating between March 22 and 26, 2016, at his North River Road facility: 11 counts of contravening a term or condition of an approval and a charge of being responsible for burning designated material without written authorization.
Shaffer is also charged with contravening a directive dated March 10, 2016, and contravening a Ministerial Order dated April 12, 2016.
Derrick Shaffer pleaded not guilty to all charges against the two companies in May 2017. In June 2017, trial dates were set for Jan. 29 and 30 and Feb. 1, 5, 6, 8, 12, 13, 15 and 16, 2018.
Charges against 3144393 Nova Scotia Limited and Shaffer Enterprises have not been proven in court.
A fire at the North River Road facility broke out on March 22, 2016, and burned for several days. The blaze led to Environment Canada issuing an air quality warning for Kings County. Kentville Fire Chief Ryan MacEachern said in a March 28, 2016, interview that the apparent cause of the fire was spontaneous combustion.
