Charges dropped against Edmonton trucking company facing $3M in fines

Trucking company dodged fines Charges against A B Gill trucking were dropped after the crown found it doesn't have sufficient evidence to convict.

An Edmonton trucking company was facing $3 million worth of fines and was set to go to court, but the charges against it were withdrawn.

The owner of A B Gill Trucking was accused of transporting overweight loads 1,907 times over a one-month span from August 15 to September 19, 2015.

The company’s lawyer argued the charges should not be transferred from the company to the owner.

The crown amended the charges, but the Court of Appeal sided with the trucking company.

“The company is pleased with the outcome. It’s hard to imagine how any company can survive a long and expensive trial regardless of the results,” Fred Kozak, the lawyer for A B Gill Trucking, said.

The police investigation in 2015 found the trucks were moving loads overweight by at least one tonne each visit. During one trip, a truck was overweight by nearly 18 tonnes.

“I think this process has led to a renewed commitment towards the Traffic Safety Act and its regulations,” Kozak said.

The crown said it dropped the changes because there was insufficient evidence to convict.