Two Madoc men have received hefty fines for unlawfully operating an aggregate pit without a license on private land.
According to a Ministry of Natural Resources media release, William Willemsen was fined $20,000 after pleading guilty to the charge under the Aggregate Resources Act.
Willemsen has been ordered to rehabilitate the site.
Lyndon McCann of pled guilty to the same charge and was fined $10,000.
Staff at the ministry conducted a site inspection on land owned by Willemsen in August, 2022. In a nearly three-year period, 22,756 tonnes of sand were unlawfully excavated, equivalent to almost 1,340 dump truck loads.
The ministry said the site was not licensed under the act, and McCann was contracted to excavate sand from the unlicensed pit and deliver some of it to properties being developed nearby. Invoices showed sales in the $30,000 range.
The ministry said the act applies to all public and private land and requires a licence or permit to operate a pit or quarry to remove aggregate resources, including sand and gravel. Individuals must check with the ministry prior to extraction and removal of aggregate from their property.
