Northern Ont. police, MNR stop 500 vehicles, check for violations

The June 1 joint operation along Highway 527 included alcohol screenings and fish and wildlife inspections within the Unincorporated Territory of Thunder Bay.

A few charges and several warnings were handed out in northwestern Ontario recently during a joint operation involving the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Provincial Police.

The June 1 initiative along Highway 527 included alcohol screenings and fish and wildlife inspections within the Unincorporated Territory of Thunder Bay.

“The goal of the joint enforcement initiative was to educate both local residents and visiting tourists on road and hunting safety, as well as fishing and hunting regulations,” police said.

A total of 80 of the 500 drivers underwent alcohol testing and no impaired drivers were detected.

However, the MNR laid one charge for possessing an overlimit of fish. Officials also issued two warnings for taking aggregate without a permit, three warnings for failing to remove the plug from a boat and nine warnings were given for improperly skinned or packaged fish.

“Additionally, four black bears were inspected,” the release said.

The OPP charged one driver for having a radar detector in their vehicle, a driver from Minnesota had a radar detector removed from his vehicle and a Thunder Bay driver was charged with driving while prohibited. His vehicle was impounded.

Police also issued several warnings, including one for possessing more than one licence, driving without a validation sticker on the licence plate, two warnings each for having an insecure load and not having a licence plate on a trailer.