KITCHENER — A Kitchener business and its owner were fined $56,000 and ordered to pay the city $122,000 for a portion of cleanup costs after a large oil spill into the Grand River two years ago.

P.V. Development Corp., which operates Code Yellow Towing, was convicted this week of one offence under the Ontario Water Resources Act and one under the Environmental Protection Act, and was fined a total of $50,000 plus a victim fine surcharge of $12,500.

Ronald Behrendt, principle director and officer of the company, was also convicted of one offence under the Ontario Water Resources Act and fined $6,000 plus a victim fine surcharge of $1,500.

A restitution order was issued under the water resources act conviction requiring both defendants to jointly pay $122,000 to the City of Kitchener.

On April 29, 2016, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change received a report from a resident about an oil spill into the Grand River near Victoria Street North.

The city worked with regional and ministry officials to quickly take action, since the source wasn't immediately identified. Environmental and restoration experts were contracted to assist.

On May 3, Behrendt contacted the ministry about waste engine oil that had spilled at the company's garage on Forwell Road, used for truck maintenance and oil changes, during the night on April 29 and was discovered the following morning. He said the oil leaked from an 800-litre waste oil storage tank through a broken valve.

In June, the city reported the cumulative cost of the cleanup was $1.3 million, including containment, cleaning up the oil and remediating the river. Restoration of properties adjacent to the spill site was still continuing then, and any cost from those efforts was not included.

The mayor said at the time it was hoped the city could recover those expenses through its insurance coverage to avoid any cost to taxpayers.

jweidner@therecord.com, Twitter: @WeidnerRecord