Victoria -- The British Columbia Environment Ministry is putting together a task force to develop a recovery plan for the Cheakamus River after a toxic CN train wreck last week.
More than 40,000 litres of sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda, spilled into the river on Friday when nine cars of a freight train derailed near Squamish.
The first job of the task force is to find out how much harm was done to fish stocks, wildlife and habitat, the ministry said in a news release.
Then the group, which also includes Canadian National Railway, the federal Fisheries Department and the Squamish First Nation, will develop an ecosystem recovery plan. The railway will be responsible for implementing the plan, the ministry said.
The province is also working with Environment Canada as it investigates the spill. Transport Canada is conducting a separate probe into the cause of the derailment. CP