A Saskatchewan contractor and the Village of Young both pleaded guilty to offenses under the Environmental Management and Protection Act.
Davnn Contracting from Kenaston pleaded guilty to illegal and operating an illegal landfill on January 9, 2024, and the company was fine $21,000. Then on March 5,2024, the village of Young pleaded guilty to the same offences and were also fined $21,000 and ordered to clean up the site by December 31, 2024.
In August 2022, environmental protection staff with the Ministry of Environment received a report concerning the illegal disposal of demolition waste. A joint investigation with Policing and Public Safety's Provincial Protective Services Branch confirmed that the Village of Young had hired Davnn Contracting to demolish six old houses and haul them to a gravel pit approximately 1.6 kilometres out of town. The waste was dumped at the site and covered with dirt and debris.
The investigation resulted in the village being served two notices over the next year to voluntarily clean up the site with a warning that the waste represented a potential health hazard.
When cleanup did not occur, charges were laid in November 2023.
A release from the Environment Ministry notes that demolishing old buildings creates many different types of waste, some of which can be very harmful to the environment and human health. It says that it’s vital to dispose of such waste properly to avoid serious impacts for the air, soil and water - not to mention significant fines and cleanup costs.