A Sturgeon Falls man has pleaded guilty to unlawfully constructing a road without a work permit, was fined $20,000, and was ordered by the court to remediate the site.
Jason Cyr was also fined $2,000 for unlawfully depositing things on public lands, and $3,000 for operating a pit or quarry without a licence.
The court heard that on May 17, 2022, conservation officers were conducting a patrol in Janes Township, north of River Valley. After seeing what appeared to be heavy traffic on a dead-end road, they investigated and uncovered a new road being built on Crown land.
It was determined the road was being built without permits issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, as required by the Public Lands Act.
Further investigation determined there were two sites where aggregate material was being removed for the illegal road. There were also several personal items, vehicles and pieces of construction equipment left on nearby public lands.
Conservation officers returned to the site on May 31, 2022, and located Cyr actively working on the construction of the road using a backhoe. It was determined that Cyr was building the road to access a parcel of private land.
Justice of the Peace Ruby Beck heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, North Bay, on January 25, 2024.
