No criminal charges warranted in fatal Columbia Icefield bus rollover, RCMP say
Consultation with Crown prosecutors determined evidence did not meet the bar
Jasper RCMP will not lay criminal charges in relation to the July 2020 rollover of an all-terrain bus on the Columbia Icefield that killed three people and injured 14 others.
In a news release on Friday, RCMP said they have completed their investigation.
Consultation with the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service determined evidence did not meet the bar for criminal charges, RCMP said.
Three people were killed and 14 others received life-threatening injuries after the red-and-white Ice Explorer lost control on the road to the Athabasca Glacier, about 100 kilometres southeast of Jasper, Alta., on July 18, 2020.
The bus, with 27 people on board, rolled about 50 metres down a moraine embankment before coming to rest on its roof.
In the news release, RCMP said they have shared all requested investigative material from the criminal investigation with the provincial labour ministry, as required by the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act.
"While the RCMP is aware of the charges resulting from the regulatory investigation, the criminal standard is high and the criminal investigation is independent, separate and parallel to the OH&S investigation."
Tour bus operator Brewster Inc. was charged earlier this year with eight counts under the OH&S Act, including failing to control hazards and failing to ensure equipment was in safe operating condition.
Tours of the Columbia Icefield resumed last year. Seatbelts have been added to the tour buses, and changes to driver training and road maintenance have been made.
At least two civil cases are seeking compensation for survivors and the families of the victims of the crash.
In Friday's news release, RCMP said: "Our thoughts continue to go out to the families of the deceased and the injured, and to all who have been impacted by this tragedy."