News Release

For immediate release
October 23, 2003

THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF ORANGEVILLE
FINED TOTAL OF $50,000

ORANGEVILLE – The Corporation of the Town of Orangeville has been fined a total of $50,000, plus a 25-percent victim fine surcharge, after pleading guilty to four charges from two separate court cases.

The Court heard that in the spring and early summer of 2001, a sewage treatment plant owned by the Town of Orangeville experienced upset conditions that resulted in severe odours in the surrounding community, as well as in discharges to the Credit River that exceeded the limits imposed by the certificate of approval issued for the sewage plant. The company pleaded guilty to discharges that exceeded permitted levels for biochemical oxygen demand.

In a separate case, the Court heard that in March of 2003 the sewage plant discharged effluent to the Credit River which exceeded the limit stipulated in the certificate of approval for biochemical oxygen demand.

The Town of Orangeville was fined $35,000 on a charge under section 14(1) of the Environmental Protection Act for allowing the release of an odour that had adverse effects on the community. The Town was also fined $5,000 for each of three charges under section 107(3) of the Ontario Water Resources Act for discharging effluent that exceeded the biochemical oxygen demand limits set out in the certificate of approval.

Justice of the Peace John Jackson heard the cases on October 22, 2003 in the Ontario Court of Justice in Orangeville. 

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Contact:
John Steele
Communications Branch
Ministry of the Environment
(416) 314-6666