The CEO of the clothing company Gildan has reportedly built a golf course that damaged nearby farmland, wetlands, and more, infuriating locals.
According to Noovo via CTV News, Glenn Chamandy built a massive private golf course on his property in Austin, Quebec. He did so without city approval, damaging a maple grove, wetlands, farmland, and Memphrémagog Lake's drinking water reservoir in Eastern Townships.
CTV reported in an earlier article that Chamandy applied for and received a permit to build an orchard, but investigations suggest it's actually a golf course. Residents are outraged, and many of them expressed their frustration and concerns at a town hall meeting in September.
They say the project has harmed farmland that produces food and a lake that gives people clean water.
It has also reportedly damaged a maple grove and wetland areas, which are vital to a healthy ecosystem. These environments help improve air quality and serve as habitats for countless plants and animals.
Mayor Lisette Maillé said the town was taking the situation seriously and was conducting a fact-finding mission before potentially taking action. "It's not because the man has money that we won't act. What we're saying is our case has to be rock solid before we move forward," Maillé said, according to CTV News.
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"We're facing a major environmental violation on a regional drinking water reservoir. There should be exemplary penalty," added Johanne Lavoie, president of the nonprofit Memphrémagog Conservation.
For his part, Chamandy has pushed back against the allegations. "We don't share the same definition of what constitutes a golf course," he said, per CTV News.
Nonetheless, people in Reddit's r/TreeLaw were just as angry as the locals. Many suggested that the hefty fines are not hefty enough.
One person said: "He should be fined AND made to put it back the way it was, otherwise he'll just see it as an extra cost."
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Someone else passionately wrote, "Just a fine? They should have to restore it, otherwise what's the point? It's a $14 million dollar property. They knew the fines would be a small price to pay to skirt environmental laws/bylaws. In addition to having to restore the land the fine should be proportional to their wealth as Memphrémagog Conservation suggested."
Another commenter echoed these sentiments, saying: "Rich a******* like this should have all of their land seized from them, and not just pay a fine they can easily afford."
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