The Ontario government is taking action to stop the unlawful extraction and sale of aggregates from unlicensed areas.
Pine Valley Developments and its president Steven Liedtke pleaded guilty to operating a pit without a licence and were each fined $37,500. Including the victim fine surcharge, the total penalty imposed was $93,750.
The court heard that between January 1, 2016, and October 15, 2017, Pine Valley Developments and Liedtke were extracting aggregate outside their licence boundary and selling it commercially. Aggregate inspectors with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry inspected the pit and discovered the violations. During the investigation, conservation officers executed a search warrant to seize evidence of the violations.
Justice of the Peace Louise Logue heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Pembroke, on June 19, 2023, and issued sentencing on July 10, 2023.
To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the ministry TIPS line toll free at 1-877-847-7667. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, please visit ontario.ca/mnrftips.
