A landowner in West Grey has been punished for environmental breaches and non-compliance with provincial regulations.
The Ontario Court of Justice has sided with Saugeen Conservation based on allegations that a landowner made unauthorized alterations to a property without the required permits.
The individual was guilty of violating four sections of Ontario regulation 169/06, prompting penalties under the Conservation Authorities Act. The convicted landowner now faces a $4,000 fine, a twelve-month probationary period, and an order to restore the property to the standards set by the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA).
"It doesn't happen all the time," said Matt Armstrong, Acting Environmental Planning and Regulations Manager with SVCA. "That's because our regulations officers are very good at working with landowners when there is a contravention to see if we can work collaboratively to get compliance on that property."
According to a media release from SVCA, the unauthorized project ran afoul of provisions outlined in the regulation, including unauthorized site grading and fill placement in river, stream, valley areas and designated hazardous lands. SVCA notes that they tried to resolve the matter amicably, but the landowner failed to rectify the situation voluntarily, leading to the SVCA Board of Directors to pursue legal action.
"Sometimes, there's a need for remediation that needs to be done so that the work that has been done is in compliance with our policies and procedures," said Armstrong. "Unfortunately, in this case, that effort was not made on behalf of the landowners."
"(We made) numerous attempts for our staff to get there. We do have the ability to lay a charge, and in this case, that's what we ended up doing," added Armstrong.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of adhering to environmental regulations and highlights the crucial role SVCA plays in safeguarding the safety of communities.
