The province has released its 2015 third quarter information about penalties handed out to companies and individuals under the environmental act.
From July 1 to Sept. 30, 2015, a total of 28 orders were handed out, 66 administrative sanctions, 941 tickets and 19 court convictions covering violations ranging from hunting and fishing, open burning, dam safety, to pesticide and pollution. According to the province, in the past 10 years this is the highest number of tickets issued and amount of fines levied in a third quarter period. More than $236,000 in penalties was issued.
Notable enforcement action includes issuing 21 Water Act orders following targeted aerial inspections of agricultural operations along the Nicomekl and Serpentine rivers in the Lower Mainland. Under the Wildfire Act, the Conservation Officer Service issued 221 tickets, resulting in nearly $75,000 in fines, due to province-wide fire bans.
In the spring of 2016 the province announced significant increases to ticket fines for violations under the Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation. The changes mean that British Columbia now has some of the highest wildfire-related violation ticket fines in Canada. For example, the fine for not complying with a fire restriction has tripled from $345 to $1,150 and failing to properly extinguish a burning substance, such as a cigarette, will now cost an offender $575.
A full list of each individual or business that was ticketed, fined, or convicted of an offence in British Columbia during this quarter can be found online.
