Cleanup efforts of mysterious oil spill in Bolton storm-water pond completed

Sample of water being collected for testing. (Source: Getty Images)

The Town of Caledon says cleanup efforts following a mysterious oil spill in a Bolton storm-water pond are officially complete after tests confirmed the area is no longer contaminated.

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks recently reviewed sediment samples from the pond near Coleraine Drive and George Bolton Parkway, with officials confirming the results were “favourable,” clearing the way for the end of remediation work.

The spill, first discovered earlier this summer, sparked a joint investigation involving Caledon OPP, the town and the province.

A vehicle of interest was identified early in the probe, but to date, no charges have been laid. The cause of the spill has not been disclosed.

CTV News reached out to the OPP for an update on the investigation and was told it remains ongoing.

“Investigators are encouraging the driver, any passengers, or anybody with information about this vehicle to come forward and speak with police regarding this incident,” police stated in an email to CTV News on Thursday.

While officials confirmed the spill was contaminated within the storm-water pond and posed no health or water quality risk to nearby properties, it did take a toll on local wildlife. Fish and other animals were lost, though the number affected remains unclear. The town previously said it was working with a wildlife rescue agency to help with recovery efforts.

Storm-water ponds are designed to collect rain and melted snow runoff from roads and nearby developments, often containing pollutants. Oil spills can potentially overwhelm these systems, posing environmental risks.

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