Companies Fined $150,000 for Illegal Transmission Line Project Work
A gold mining company and a construction, engineering and mining services company have been fined for carrying out work that violated the conditions of their work permits.
Detour Gold Corporation and Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Co. both pleaded guilty under the Public Lands, Lakes and Rivers Improvement and Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves acts, and were fined $75,000 each for illegal work carried out to construct a transmission line.
The court heard that, in 2011, Detour Gold Corporation contracted Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Co. to build a transmission line connecting its Detour Lake Mine, located 185 kilometres northeast of Cochrane, to Island Falls Generating Station. Ministry of Natural Resources officials investigated and found that work to build a hydroelectric transmission line violated conditions of the companies’ work permits. In addition, the companies failed to distribute work permits to their subcontractors.
Several large areas of public land were extensively altered to build a winter-access road, including the North of the North French River Conservation Reserve. In Little Abitibi Provincial Park, the natural vegetation on the west shoreline of Little Abitibi River was completely stripped away. Also, earth was illegally deposited in several water bodies that support aquatic life.
Justice Patrick Boucher heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Cochrane, on December 13, 2013.
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local MNR district office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
