Early reactions to the tailings spill expressed grave concern, but no fines or charges against Imperial Metals have been assessed. 
On August 6, two days after the breach, the British Columbia Ministry of Environment issued a Pollution Abatement Order to Mount Polley Mining Corporation. The company submitted an action plan for the Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment, environmental monitoring. The company was required and did report weekly on the implementation of action plan measures.
A local state of emergency in nearby communities was initially declared in the interest of public safety with widespread water restrictions implemented and local equitable water distribution set up as a precautionary measure. Days later, some water use restrictions were removed for non-local residents, leaving a boiling water advisory, and narrowing the "Do Not Use" order to Polley Lake, Hazeltine Creek, and an area within  of the shoreline sediment deposit, where Hazeltine Creek runs into Quesnel Lake. Initial tests at five testing sites of the second water test run indicated zinc levels above chronic exposure limits for aquatic life,although rainbow trout toxicity test results from water collected at Quesnel Lake near the mouth of Hazeltine Creek on August 5 and 6 showed water was not toxic to rainbow trout.
Some tourism businesses in the adjacent surrounding areas remained open. Because the affected water system is salmon-bearing, there was a temporary closure of part of the Chinook salmon fishery by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Complaints were filed with B.C.'s privacy commissioner regarding the release of environmental assessments and dam inspection reports after journalists found a report from 2010 and assessments from 1992 and 1997 in the public domain, the B.C. government has withheld subsequent reports.  Following the event, some First Nations activists held protests and set up blockades. Several local landowners and business operators affected by the spill have launched legal challenges to seek compensation for damages.