Bergedac Ltée, shareholder and employee fined $12,000 for destroying Bank Swallow nests

Québec, Quebec - April 29, 2016 - Environment and Climate Change Canada

On April 5, 2016, Bergedac Ltée pleaded guilty in the Court of Quebec (criminal division) and was fined $8,000 for violating section 13 of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994. A shareholder and an employee were also fined $3,000 and $1,000 respectively. The Court also ordered Bergedac Ltée to ensure compliance with the Migratory Birds Regulations in its sand pits and develop a habitat there favourable to Bank Swallow nesting for a period of three years.

The investigation found that, in June 2013, more than 40 Bank Swallow nests were destroyed in the sand pit located near Beaumont, Quebec. The Bank Swallow populations had been declining significantly for about 40 years. The sand pits are preferred nesting spots for this species, which is designated as threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

The fines, totalling $12,000, will be paid to the Environmental Damages Fund (EDF).

The EDF, administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada, was established in 1995 to provide a mechanism for directing amounts received from fines, court orders and voluntary payments towards priority projects that will be beneficial for our environment. As a result of this conviction, the company’s name will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry. 

Quick fact

  • Wildlife enforcement officers deploy considerable effort to ensure that companies and individuals follow requirements to protect wildlife species and their habitats. Prohibited actions can be reported to the National Environmental Emergencies Centre at 514-283-2333 or 1-866-283-2333.

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