NCC investigating 'hydrocarbon' spill in Lac Leamy
Beach closed for swimming until further notice, other amenities remain open
The National Capital Commission (NCC) is investigating what it's calling a hydrocarbon spill at Lac Leamy in Gatineau, Que.
The beach at Lac Leamy is closed for swimming until further notice, and the NCC is recommending against entering the water.
The NCC's website says parking at the lake will be free during the closure. The nearby park, pathways and picnic areas remain open.
Quebec's environment ministry told Radio-Canada in a French email they got a report of a hydrocarbon sheen on the water on Monday and determined it was from rainwater runoff, without elaborating.
A boom barrier has been set up in the channel northeast of the Casino du Lac-Leamy, according to an NCC spokesperson on Tuesday. The Crown corporation said Wednesday that mitigation measures had helped limit the spill.
Hydrocarbons can be gas, liquid or solid and include, but are not limited to, oil and natural gas.
Two NCC spokespeople said Wednesday they couldn't specify the nature of the substance involved in the spill, or how it ended up in the lake.