THUNDER BAY - A Thunder Bay resident who built a road to cottage lots and constructed a beach on an Ignace-area lake has been fined a total of $5,000.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says that between September, 2014 and December, 2015, James Loney excavated gravel from a pit on Crown land adjacent to Sowden Lake.
The aggregate was used to build a road on Crown land, leading to several private lots on the lake.
According to the MNRF, Loney disturbed the natural shoreline of his cottage lot, removed boulders, and filled the shore lands with gravel and sand to create a beach and boat launch on public lands.
He pleaded guilty to operating an aggregate pit, constructing a road and filling shore lands without permits.
In addition to being fined for violations of the Public Lands Act and Aggregate Resources Act, Loney was ordered to rehabilitate the affected area.
