Province warns BC Hydro after transformer-oil spill reaches Coquitlam creek; no water sample taken

The province has issued a non-compliance advisory to BC Hydro after more than 1,000 litres of transformer oil spilled into the environment and reached a nearby Coquitlam creek.

The spill occurred after an act of vandalism on Oct. 23, 2025 near 1205 Johnson St., when a pad-mounted transformer was tampered with and its valve opened, releasing approximately 1,200 litres of insulating oil onto the ground. 

Some of the oil flowed into a storm drain and ultimately into the salmon-bearing Hoy Creek, according to a Ministry of Environment and Parks inspection report.

The ministry reviewed the incident earlier this year and concluded that BC Hydro failed to fully comply with provincial spill-reporting requirements.

According to a Dangerous Goods Incident Report compiled the same day of the vandalism, the transformer was broken into for its copper, leaving the valve open and allowing oil to drain into surrounding soil and infrastructure.

Emergency officials were notified that afternoon, and response crews were dispatched to the area to assess the spill and inspect nearby waterways connected to the storm-drain system.

The quantity released was well above the 100-litre reporting threshold for waste oil under B.C.’s Spill Reporting Regulation, requiring a report under the Environmental Management Act.

Although BC Hydro filed a report in November 2025, ministry inspectors later determined the submission was incomplete.

Provincial regulations require companies responsible for spills to include sampling data and monitoring results showing how soil and water were affected.

In this case, the ministry said BC Hydro provided soil testing results but did not include water-sampling data, even though the report acknowledged oil entered a storm drain and reached Hoy Creek.

In a January 2026 email to regulators, BC Hydro confirmed no water samples had been taken from Hoy Creek.

As a result, the ministry determined the utility was “out of compliance” on Jan. 28, and issued an advisory. 

Due to the class of the violation, the province did not impose a fine, but the infraction will go on BC Hydro’s compliance record if future non-compliance occurs. 

Regulators directed the utility to include sampling and monitoring data from any affected environmental media, such as soil or water, when submitting spill reports in the future.

Transformer oil spills can pose environmental risks when they reach waterways, potentially affecting ecosystems and contaminating soil and groundwater, according to the report.