A millionaire said he was building an orchard, but investigators believe he built a golf course instead, harming local ecosystems and a drinking water reservoir in Quebec's Austin, Estrie.
According to Noovo Info via CTV News, the Commission de protection du territoire agricole du Québec ordered the restoration of a maple grove and farmland on the millionaire's property. The property owner, Glenn Chamandy, and his partner, Amel Murad, were granted a permit to create an orchard, but investigations suggest that was not their true intent.
CPTAQ found that the construction included soil storage, backfilling, stone wall construction, peat, and sand traps — none of which are indicators of an orchard. Furthermore, the construction company, Design Panorama Vert Inc., is known for golf club landscaping.
The Memphrémagog Conservation organization told Noovo Info that the construction damaged Memphrémagog Lake, nearby wetlands, and the drinking water reservoir. The reckless building hurt the water supply of 185,000 people.
Wetlands are complex and diverse ecosystems that must be protected. About 40% of the world's plant and animal species live or breed in wetland environments, per the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These kinds of ecosystems are vital to the health of the entire planet.
The property owner claims he was building an orchard, but "acknowledged the concerns raised about the development work carried out on his property," per CTV.
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Lisette Maillé, mayor of Austin, said, "It's becoming increasingly obvious that people with money think they can get away with breaking the law.
She continued, "It's as if they're saying, 'Yes, I'll get fined, but it'll be part of the cost of my multi-million-dollar construction project.'"
Conservationists are demanding that the property owner be fined according to his financial means.
Johanne Lavoie, president of the Memphrémagog Conservation, said, "There must be exemplary fines that reflect the damage caused by the destruction of wetlands and the impact on the Memphrémagog Lake drinking water reservoir."
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Absolutely 💯 She added, "The owner bought this property for $14 million. Do you think he has the means?"
To create a cooler, cleaner future and a healthy planet, it's crucial that behavior like this is adequately addressed. Standard fines won't deter the very wealthy from careless construction. The conservationists are calling for consequences proportional to the damage done to protect wetlands and other important ecosystems from similar harm.
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