$5,000 Fine For Illegal Water Crossings And Aggregate Excavation
A Timmins man has been fined a total of $5,000 for building two water crossings and excavating aggregate on Crown land without the required permits.
Steve Anderson was fined $2,000 for each water crossing installed without a permit and $1,000 for excavating aggregate without a permit. He has also been ordered to remove the water crossings according to the terms of a work permit issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The court heard that in November 2011, Vision Exploration, a company owned by Anderson, installed water crossings on two streams in Sargeant Township, east of Cochrane, without obtaining the required work permits. The crossings were constructed with aggregate removed from Crown land, but Anderson had not received a permit to extract the aggregate. Both crossings washed out during the spring melt.
Justice of the Peace Jean Marie Blier heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Cochrane, on April 12, 2012.
The public is reminded that it is an offence to install water crossings or extract aggregate from Crown land without a permit. The Ministry of Natural Resources is responsible for the stewardship of natural resources, including lakes and rivers, and the permit process enables the ministry to consider all relevant values before issuing permits.
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
