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Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

08/14/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/14/2026 13:04

Individual Fined for Unlawfully Occupying Public Lands

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An individual from Southern Ontario has been fined $3,500 for the following camping and public land violations:

Jonpaul Evans of Utterson was convicted of unlawfully occupying and depositing items on public lands in violation of a notice. He was fined $3,500.

The Ontario Court of Justice heard that on November 4, 2024, conservation officers located a camping trailer, pickup truck and flat bed trailer parked in the McConnell Lakes Management area of Lasalle Township, where camping is prohibited. On the same date, a second pickup truck was located with a shipping container and mini excavator in McAuslan Township.

An investigation revealed that the items had been deposited in October 2024. Evans left the trucks, camping trailer and shipping container on site throughout the winter. All items except the shipping container were removed by Evans during the summer of 2025. Evans had previously been convicted in 2018 for leaving a camping trailer on public land for an extended period.

Justice of the Peace Monique Mechefske heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, North Bay, on January 22, 2026.

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.

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Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry published this content on August 14, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 14, 2026 at 19:04 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]