Frederic Serre
The Advocate

The Quebec government has levied fines totalling nearly $40,000 against 27 individuals and companies that have violated the province’s regulations respecting sustainable forest development on government land.

The Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts made the announcement last month, identifying the offenders who violated the Sustainable Forest Development Act, and the regions affected, between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. In all, $39,590 in fines were handed out.

In the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, three charges of illicitly measuring wood during June 2022 resulted in $3,000 fines levied against Conseillers forestiers de la region du Québec Inc. Réginald Michaud was fined $1,000 for failing to deliver his 2022 annual report, and 9126-7815 Quebec Inc. was given a $300 fine for illegally cutting wood in 2022.

In the Capitale-Nationale region, Érablières des Frères Champagne Inc. was fined $1,000 for failing to file their 2024 annual report on time, while Yves Lalonde was slapped with a $3,000 fine for doing construction and renovation work and blocking a path on government land. Lalonde was also cited for cutting wood without a permit. The fines were related to activities that occurred in 2022. Forex Langlois Inc. was given a fine of $9,000 for illegally crossing a riverbed with forestry equipment, spilling earth in a waterway and failing to stabilize a waterbed after the completion of a project – all incidents in 2021.

In the Mauricie region, Gaston Buisson was fined $600 for cutting wood without a permit in 2022, while 9418-2292 Quebec Inc. was slapped with a $1,005 fine for cutting wood without a permit and illegally doing construction work on government land in 2021. Jean-Philippe Boulanger was also fined $800 for illegally cutting wood in 2022.

In the Eastern Townships, Sucrerie 2000 Inc. was fined $2,000 for violating terms of its permit in 2022, while Mario Dupuis was fined $6,885 for illegally tapping maple trees in 2022 and 2023. Érablière Lapierre was slapped with a $2,000 fine for illegally cutting wood in 2021.

In the Northern Quebec region, Matériaux Blanchet is facing $9,000 in fines related to spilling earth in a waterway, illegally crossing a riverbed with forestry equipment, and moving equipment too close to a waterway — all of these fines were for incidents that occurred in 2020.

According to the Quebec government, laws and regulations associated with forest management are intended to protect the various resources of the forest environment by targeting, among other things, four areas of concern: the size and distribution of cutting areas, the development of infrastructure for crossing watercourses, soil protection, and the regeneration and protection of fragile environments and wildlife habitats.