THUNDER BAY – A Thunder Bay man has been fined a total of $5,000 for violations under the Public Lands Act and Aggregate Resources Act.
James Loney pleaded guilty and was fined $2,000 for operating an aggregate pit on Crown land without a permit, $500 for constructing a road on Crown land without a permit, and $2,500 for filling shore lands without a permit. Loney was also required to carry out rehabilitation work to the affected sites at Sowden Lake, northeast of Ignace.
The Court heard that between September 2014 and December 2015, Loney had excavated gravel from an aggregate pit on Crown land, located on the western side of Sowden Lake. The aggregate was used to construct a gravel road on Crown land, leading to several private lots on Sowden Lake. Loney disturbed the natural shoreline of his cottage lot on Sowden Lake by removing the natural shoreline and boulders and filled the shorelands with gravel and sand to create a beach and boat launch on public lands.
Justice of the Peace Bernard Caron heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Thunder Bay, on October 4, 2017.
The ministry reminds the public that a work permit may be required before carrying out work on Crown land. Contact your local Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry office before undertaking any such work.
To report a natural resources violation, call the MNRF TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 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).
