N. Murray Edwards, one of Canada's wealthiest oil and mining tycoons and a co-owner of the Calgary Flames NHL team, is a major investor in Imperial Metals, the company that owns the Mount Polley mine, Global News reported. The Mount Polley mine's tailings dam poured 10 million cubic metres of water and 4.5 million cubic metres of sediment into the Cariboo River and surrounding areas on Monday morning, leading to a state of emergency in the area.

Forbes magazine listed Edwards at number 820 in its list of the world's top billionaires. His net worth in 2014 was estimated at $2.2 billion, up $250 million from 2013.

The company website lists Edwards as a 36% shareholder of Imperial Metals. In addition, Edwards is the lead investor and managing director of Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL), the company that has been leaking over 1 million litres of bitumen into the ground since last spring. The company was ordered in June by the Alberta Energy Regulator to restrict steam injection, which was a regularly used process to soften bitumen in the ground in northern Alberta.