Two individuals from Haliburton have been fined for dredging shore lands without a permit. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the lakebed was scraped and dredged using heavy machinery.
Patrick Mark and Jonathan Mark of Haliburton pleaded guilty to unlawfully dredging shore lands without a permit. They were fined $2,000 each.
The Ontario Court of Justice heard that on August 11, 2025, Patrick Mark and Jonathan Mark were operating an excavator on the shore of Lipsy Lake, located in the Township of Dysart et al, north of Haliburton. While attempting to remove woody debris and aquatic vegetation along the shoreline, the excavator fell into Lipsy Lake.
Witnesses observed the excavator in the water and immediately reported the incident to the Ministry’s TIPS line. The Ministry’s district staff responded to the incident, completing a damage assessment before handing the investigation over to conservation officers.
Justice of the Peace Joel Kulmatycki heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, City of Kawartha Lakes, on February 24, 2026.
To report a natural resource problem, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources says members of the public can call the TIPS line toll-free at 1-877-847-7667 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.
For more information about unsolved cases, please visit ontario.ca/MNRTips.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox so you don’t miss anything!
Click here to support local news
It’s truly discouraging. Those fines are not a deterrent!
$2,000. Fine each. What a laugh!
Dredging permits should not be issued for cottage properties. When your buy lakefront property what you see is what you get
However we know that money can buy you just about anything
I am told that once a dredging permit is issued it is open ended. It can be renewed every five years if acted upon
Professional consultants intimidate and lie to get permits and pass the costs onto monied clients who have already built these costs into there budget