Court Bulletin

For immediate release
March 10, 2008

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER FINED $60,000 FOR VIOLATING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT

LONDON — Taco Vandervelde has been fined $60,000, plus a victim fine surcharge, after pleading guilty to violating the Environmental Protection Act.

The Court heard that Mr. Vandervelde, a project manager for Greely Construction Inc. was supervising a project in London when a drill struck and broke through a sanitary sewer trunk line.  The resulting spill of sewage flowed down into the adjacent park, causing flooding of a large portion of the park.

Mr. Vandervelde was charged following an investigation by the Ministry of the Environment’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch.

Mr. Vandervelde pleaded guilty to one count of violating section 14(1) of the Environmental Protection Act, by not exercising due diligence and causing the spill of a contaminant, namely sewage, into the natural environment which caused an adverse effect.  Mr. Vandervelde was fined $60,000, plus a victim fine surcharge, and given 180 days to pay.

Justice of the Peace R. Ponton heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice in London, Ontario, and imposed sentence on March 5, 2008.

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For further information:
Members of the media: John Steele Communications Branch (416) 314-6666
Contact information for the general public: 416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923/ www.ontario.ca/environment

 

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