A Haileybury man has been fined $2,000 for dumping an engine block in a lake.

Paul Caissie was tried and convicted of depositing material onto public lands covered by water, contrary to the Public Lands Act.

Court heard that in June 2016, a conservation officer responded to a public complaint about a boat engine discovered on the bottom of Herridge Lake, south of Temagami. Investigation revealed that in 2015, while a tenant in a rental home on Herridge Lake, Caissie removed the engine from his boat and placed it on his dock. After he vacated the rental property, a neighbor noticed the engine block in the lake next to Caissie’s dock.

Caissie denied depositing the engine block in the lake. However, the conviction was supported by the testimony in court of a second neighbour who had come forward during the investigation and who refuted Caissie’s testimony.

Justice of the Peace Ruby Beck heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Haileybury, on January 19, 2017.

To report a natural resources violation, call the MNRF TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).