April 17, 2024
We have read the determination from the province. We accept their determination and intend to fully comply.
Sandher Fruit is a family-owned business that is proud of the role we play in helping feed families across Canada. We have had challenges with our water management used to wash apples and cherries on our packing line – including damage that resulted from extreme cold weather in January.
While we accept the administrative penalty, we wish to once again reiterate, the limited water that was discharged in the past was used only to wash apples and cherries, has been tested, and poses no risk to public health or the environment.
There has also been some misunderstanding about our water discharge application with the Ministry of the Environment. The application is like that of many agricultural businesses: to allow for authorized discharge in unforeseen circumstances like extreme future storms – not on a regular basis.
While we acknowledge that we haven’t always gotten it right, we want to assure our customers and our neighbours that we are working diligently on a permanent solution.
As the Ministry has acknowledged, we have made significant efforts to be open and transparent about the challenges we’ve experienced and the action we’re taking. Since January, we have repaired our wastewater system, implemented measures to reduce water usage, engaged an engineering firm to help us replace and modernize our entire wastewater management system, and brought on new senior leaders with decades of operational experience and the expertise needed to direct these efforts.
We truly value the community that has sustained our business for more than three decades and are fully dedicated to ensuring we are both in full compliance with provincial regulations and implementing best practices to ensure the long-term sustainability of our operations.
Sincerely,
Gurtaj Sandher
President
Sandher Fruit Packers