Suncor and contractor plead guilty in 2021 drowning death of oilsands worker

The death of a 25-year-old man who drowned in a tailings pond after the dangerously thin ice beneath his bulldozer collapsed has resulted in a total of $745,000 in fines against two companies.

Suncor and Christina River Construction pleaded guilty to a single count each under the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act in the death of Patrick Poitras.

Poitras was operating a John Deere bulldozer on Jan. 13, 2021, at Suncor's base mine, about 30 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, when the ice beneath the machine gave way. 

Three days later, his body was pulled from the pond.

His parents say the fines issued against the operators aren't punishment enough for the death of their son.

Following an appearance in Fort McMurray Provincial Court Friday, Suncor and Christina River Construction — the contractor that employed Poitras — face a total penalty of $745,000.

In November, 28 charges were initially laid against the companies. However, a joint submission for sentencing was accepted by the court Friday after all the other charges were withdrawn. 

Cathina Cormier, Poitras' mother, said the fines issued feel like a cruel joke. The companies got a "slap on the hand" for putting her son in danger, she said.

Hearing in court how the operators failed to protect her son left her traumatized and enraged, she said.

"It brought me back into that dark hole," Cormier said.

"As a mom, it was a joke and a nightmare being in court and hearing them.

"They sent my son to do a job that wasn't secure and he loved that job." 

She said the sentence, and apologies provided to her by company officials, offer her no comfort as she continues to mourn.

She hopes her son's death will help prevent another family from losing a loved one to a workplace accident but she remains sceptical about the commitment to safety in the oilpatch.

Poitras' father, Marcel Poitras, says the sentence brings him little comfort. All the charges initially levied against the companies should have been pursued, he said. 

Poitras said he remains haunted by the horrible way his happy, hard-working son died. He said the penalties levied in court fall short of honouring the senseless loss of his child's bright future. 

"You can't put money on a life, that I know," Poitras said in an interview Monday. 

"But those companies, they have to ensure the safety of workers … How many people die every year.?"

Suncor's safety record has been facing increased criticism. At least 12 workers have died at its Alberta oilsands operations since 2014.

Poitras said the increased scrutiny is justified. He hopes his son's legacy will ensure no one else working in the oilsands is exposed to deadly hazards on the job. 

Suncor pleaded guilty to a count that acknowledges that it failed to manage the work in a way that would protect workers from hazards. 

According to the agreed statement of facts, the company admits that previous measurements done on the ice had shown it was too thin to bear the weight of the machine.

Christina River pleaded guilty to a count that details a contractor's duty to ensure the safety of its workers. The company admits that it failed to confirm the ice was 17 inches thick, as required under site's safety regulatory guidelines. 

Poitras was working to clear snow from the frozen tailings pond on the day he drowned.

Court heard the ice was not strong enough to support the machine and was too thin for responding emergency crews to access the submerged bulldozer. 

As part of the sentence, the companies must pay for a series of projects intended to honour Potrais' legacy, and improve safety in the oilsands.

Suncor has been ordered to pay a total $420,000. Of the total fine, $370,000 will be given to to the David and Joan Lynch School of Engineering Safety and Risk Management at the University of Alberta. The money will help fund research into the hazards of work in the oilsands and developing best practices for preventing serious injury and death on site. 

Christina River Construction must pay a total of $325,000. Of the fine, $200,000 will go to Keyano College in Fort McMurray to fund the creation of a Patrick Poitras memorial scholarship and a memorial safety award in his name. The programs will benefit students training to work as heavy equipment operators. The remaining $75,000 will be used to subsidize safety courses.

Poitras, of Saint-André, N.B,. moved out west to work in the oilsands at age 21, but had plans to soon return home to the east coast for good.

Cormier said she misses the sound of her son's voice, his blue eyes and seeing his big smile beneath his signature mullet hairstyle.

She said he should be home with her in New Brunswick, enjoying life. Instead, she takes comfort in the belief that he is watching over his family and his former colleagues on site, helping to keep them safe.

"I just know Patrick is doing his job, protecting people there."