City of Kawartha Lakes pays $75K to the Environmental Damages Fund for alleged violations under Fisheries Act

January 31, 2019 – Lindsay, Ontario

Canadians value a safe and clean environment. Environment and Climate Change Canada's enforcement officers work hard each day to enforce the laws that protect Canada's wildlife, air, water, and natural environment.

Today, the Corporation of the City of Kawartha Lakes entered into a diversion agreement with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada after Environment and Climate Change Canada laid charges under the Fisheries Act. The agreement requires the city to pay $75,000 to the Environmental Damages Fund; update their standard operating procedures for drain works; and publish a notice of the incident on the city's website. Charges laid against the city will be withdrawn once all measures outlined in the diversion agreement have been met, as determined by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

In August 2014, a city-hired contractor carried out maintenance work on the Washington Drain. The work resulted in a sediment release into the fish-bearing waterway. Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers investigated the incident and determined that the sediment concentrations released during the work were deleterious to fish. It was also determined that the work was undertaken without taking adequate steps to mitigate the release of sediments into the waterway.

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