Contractor, Sask. town and landowner fined $51K for illegal waste disposal

(Source: Saskatchewan.ca)

The Town of Cabri, Swift Current contractor Knutson Excavating and a private rural landowner are facing a fine totaling $51,000, after material from demolished houses was illegally burned at night time, violating environmental laws, the province said in a news release.

According to the province, conservation officers in Swift Current were informed of the offenses from the Turn in Poachers and Polluters line (TIPP).

Investigators learned that five houses in the community northwest of Swift Current were demolished and subsequently burned, four belonged to the Town of Cabri and the other to the rural landowner where the material was burned.

All three parties involved pleaded guilty to several offenses under The Environmental Management and Protection Act and regulations, as well as The Municipal Refuse Management Regulations, the province said.

The Town of Cabri and Knutson Excavating were fined $21,000 each, while the rural land owner received a $9,000 fine.

The province said the money from the fines will go to the province’s Impacted Sites Fund, which provides support for municipalities to clean up abandoned and environmentally impacted sites.

Possible violations of wildlife, fisheries, forestry or environmental laws can be reported to Saskatchewan’s TIPP line at 1-800-667-7561 or by calling #5555 from a SaskTel cellular device.

The province said violations can also be reported online at Saskatchewan.ca/tipp.