Côte-de-Beaupré Company Pleads Guilty to a Charge of Causing Environmental Damage in a Protected Area

Saint-Joachim-de-Montmorency, Que. -- December 17, 2010 -- Royarnois Inc. pleaded guilty on September 13, 2010 before the Court of Québec to a charge under section 3 (1)(d) of the Wildlife Area Regulations. The company was fined $2,500, and was required to contribute $5,000 to the Environmental Damages Fund.

The company was found guilty of damaging plant life during excavation work using an excavator in the Marais des Graves sector of the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area.

The Environmental Damages Fund, which is managed by Environment Canada, was created in 1995 to offer courts and businesses the option of directing settlements and fines toward restoration and environmental protection projects. This allows violators to take responsibility for their actions. The conviction is the result of an investigation launched by Environment Canada in 2007, after Canadian Wildlife Service staff working in the National Wildlife Area reported the incident.