Ontario Protecting Public Lands from Illegal Dumping

The Ontario government is safeguarding the environment and public safety by ensuring people do not unlawfully deposit hazardous materials on public lands.

Andrew R. Theriault of North Bay was convicted after a trial in absentia of unlawfully depositing materials on public lands, which included shingles, wood, vinyl siding, fiberglass insulation, vapor barrier and assorted debris. He was fined $8,000.

The court heard that on August 8, 2023, a conservation officer discovered two large piles of

materials that were dumped on Crown land off Highway 11, in Blyth Township, north of the city of North Bay. The investigation determined that in June 2023, Theriault responded to a Facebook Marketplace advertisement to remove a shed. After removing the structure and sorting through the valuables, Theriault loaded the unwanted materials onto a trailer and transported them to a Crown land site north of North Bay where they were dumped.

Conservation officers were initially led to the original owner of the structure who was unaware that his structure had been illegally dumped on Crown land. Officers eventually made contact with Theriault and determined that he was responsible. The Ministry of Natural Resources paid to have the site cleaned up before the case was heard in court.

Justice of the Peace Madeleine Paul heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, North Bay, on April 24, 2025.

To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the ministry TIPS line toll free at 1-877-847-7667. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, please visit ontario.ca/mnrtips.