CA charged in 2004 ski hill accident

The Ontario Labour Ministry has laid three charges against the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority in connection with an accident at the former Jack Pine Hill a year ago.

The accident occurred after the hill's main quad chair lift stopped Jan. 10 due to mechanical difficulties.

Two employees who were repairing the lift were taken to the North Bay General Hospital after its cable was lowered to the ground.

Labour ministry spokeswoman Belinda Sutton said at the time that the rigging cable failed when the workers were attempting to remove the main cable from the bull wheel rigging.

After investigating the case the ministry decided to lay charges, said Judy Im, who will be prosecuting under the Ontario Health and Safety Act and the Provincial Offences Act.

Conservation authority secretary-manager Brian Tayler stated "no comment" when contacted Monday.

The first charge is failing to provide information instruction and supervision regarding a safe procedure for the removal of a lift cable from the ski lift, Im said.

The second charge is failing to take the reasonable precautions of having a written procedure, and the third is failing to take the reasonable precaution of determining and or limiting the load applied to the rigging assembly.

Each charge has a maximum half-million dollar fine attached to it, Im said.

A first appearance date of March 8 has been set and the matter will be heard in Provincial Offences Court at the Ontario Court of Justice, in North Bay.