Squamish -- Officials have asked people to suspend recreational and other use of the Cheakamus River today as operations begin to remove a Canadian National Railway tanker car that derailed and spilled caustic soda.
About 40,000 litres of the toxic chemical leaked from the car after the derailment last Friday.
CN Rail and provincial emergency crews will take part in the effort to remove the car from the Cheakamus Canyon.
Provincial officials said the salvage operation is expected to last about six hours.
The provincial government has announced a task force to assess damage to the environment and come up with a recovery plan for the river. CN would then have to implement the plan.
Environment Minister Barry Penner has also said CN will be charged if there's evidence of any wrongdoing in the derailment. CP