Prospekt, once again, I completely agree with you. I should have stated my point a bit better. Teck could have gone on for another few years or decades fighting the allegations tooth and nail. Instead they saw the evidence for what it was and chose to start facing the music (or at least study it some more LOL!). The few dollars they will have to spend cleaning up its legacy of dumping (legally or otherwise) is rather small compared to the magnitude of its projects going forward.

Other companies would have taken the litigation route. Exxon comes to mind with their big Valdez spill. The cost of the legal fight far surpassed their clean-up and compensation efforts and the litigation goes on still. Exxon many not be fighting the spill allegations in themselves but rather trying to set a precedent for the event of future spills. Fight every battle hard so the future battles are easier. That is my take.

Enbridge's biggest hurdle in BC for their Gateway pipeline project is demonstrating good corporate responsibility and accountability for its past (and seemingly ongoing) follies. They might have the best project on paper going forward but their legacy is pulling it down hard and fast.