Northern Ont. man fined for illegal dumping on Crown land

Conservation officer Ron Arnold talks about a man who was convicted of unlawfully depositing materials on public lands north of North Bay, Ont.

A North Bay man has been convicted and fined for illegally dumping construction debris on Crown land following an investigation that began more than two years ago.

Andrew R. Theriault was found guilty in absentia in the Ontario Court of Justice on charges of unlawfully depositing materials on public lands. Justice of the Peace Madeleine Paul presided over the trial in North Bay on April 24 and delivered the sentence, which includes an $8,000 fine.

Investigation traced to online advertisement

The court heard that on Aug. 8, 2023, a conservation officer discovered two large piles of dumped materials – including shingles, wood, vinyl siding, fiberglass insulation, vapour barrier, and assorted debris – on Crown land off Highway 11 in Blyth Township, north of the City of North Bay.

“The investigation determined that in June 2023, Theriault responded to a Facebook Marketplace advertisement to remove a shed,” Ministry of Natural Resources officials said in a court bulletin issued Friday.

The MNR said that after removing the structure and sorting through the valuables, Theriault loaded the unwanted materials onto a trailer and transported them to the remote Crown land site where they were dumped.

Cleanup completed by province

The investigation initially led officers to the original owner of the shed, who was cooperative but unaware his structure had been illegally dumped. Officers eventually identified and made contact with Theriault, determining he was responsible for the incident.

The MNR paid to have the site cleaned up before the case was heard in court.

“The Ontario government is safeguarding the environment and public safety by ensuring people do not unlawfully deposit hazardous materials on public lands,” read the court bulletin.

To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, call the ministry TIPS line toll-free at 1-877-847-7667 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.

For more information about unsolved cases, click here.