After selling plainclothes conservation officers meals containing wild game, including Canada goose meat, two Timmins men have been fined under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and Migratory Birds Convention Act.
Jose Santos pleaded guilty and was fined $1,750 for listing wildlife and fish on a menu, $1,000 for selling an animal represented as game wildlife and $1,000 for selling Canada goose meat.
Under Ontario's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, it's illegal to sell wild game in restaurants.
Tony Silva pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 for selling Canada Goose meat.
Court heard that in June 2016, conservation officers, assisted by the ministry’s special investigations services unit, began an investigation into the unlawful listing of wildlife on the website menu for WildExodus Travel owned by Santos and Wawaitin Holiday Park owned by Silva.
Both are local businesses located on Kenogamissi Lake, southwest of Timmins.
Officers determined that, in 2015, Santos listed moose and beaver on a menu. In 2016, Santos and Silva listed moose, caribou, grouse, beaver, Arctic char and pike on a menu.
In July 2016, Santos and Silva sold plainclothes officers meals represented as containing moose and beaver meat. Forensic analysis later determined that the meals also contained Canada goose meat.
Justice of the Peace Nathalie Breton heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Timmins, on Apr. 27.
