A Chatham-Kent resident is facing a hefty fine after causing damage to the habitat of three endangered species.
Jean Marie Laprise pleaded guilty to violating the Endangered Species Act and has been ordered to pay $200,000 to Ducks Unlimited Canada following a multi-year investigation.
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry said in January 2015, Laprise constructed a dike system within a wetland which removed around three acres of marsh habitat and created additional partitions within the marsh.
The property, bordering the shoreline of Lake St. Clair, consists of approximately 300 acres of wetland and provides essential habitat for threatened and endangered species. The work undertaken impacted the endangered Spotted Turtle, as well as Blanding’s Turtle and Least Bittern, which are listed as threatened.
Laprise was charged in June 2018 and the case was decided on December 7, 2022.