SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A strong smell of fuel wafted from Back Bay in Old Town late last week due to an oil spill.

Linda Leblanc, contingency planning officer with the Canadian Coast Guard Environmental Response, said the coast guard was notified of the spill on June 19.

This area of Back Bay was the site of an oil spill last week. When Yellowknifer tried to find information on the incident, details of the spill were not easy to access. - Cara Loverock/NNSL photo

She said over the past weekend there was a second spill in the area, which led to the discovery of a boat leaking oil on shore.

"The fuel spill was originating from a 30-foot vessel that is ashore. It had a bit of a spill and major rain occurred recently and passersby smelled the fuel and saw the boat," she said.

The two oil spills are both believed to have come from the same source. She said the GNWT has issued the owner a clean-up order.

When the origin of the spill was unknown, government officials had trouble figuring out who was responsible for looking into the incident.

Calls to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) were directed to the Canadian Coast Guard which redirected inquiries to Environment Canada. The latter federal agency then said the coast guard was responsible.

Gerald Fillatre with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said on Monday that department was not dealing with the spill and directed Yellowknifer back to ENR.

"At first no one was sure where (the oil) was coming from, so it was assumed from the water," said Fillatre.

ENR then directed Yellowknifer back to the Canadian Coast Guard.

A representative from Environment Canada who did not wish to be named said on Tuesday the file on the spill was still open and officials there were still looking for information in order to confirm where the spill came from.