Commercial Insectary Company and Director fined $30,000 for Ontario Water Resources Act Violation
Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks
2021-09-08 14:30:00

Convicted – Groliv Ltd., Ghulam Mustafa

Court Location – Windsor

Description of Offence – The convictions relate to permitting the discharge of a material into Sturgeon Creek which may impair the quality of the water, contrary to Sec.30 (1) of the Ontario Water Resources Act.

Date of Offence – On or about October 11, 2016

Date of Conviction – August 19, 2021

Penalty Imposed – Groliv Ltd., Ghulam Mustafa were convicted of one violation each under the Ontario Water Resources Act and were fined a total of $30,000, plus a victim fine surcharge of $7,500, with 12 months to pay.

Background –

  • Groliv Ltd. is a company that operates from a property located on Erie Street, N. in Leamington and produces predatory insects for the greenhouse industry. Ghulam Mustafa is a company director.
  • On May 6, 2016, ministry staff were in the Leamington area conducting water sampling of local greenhouses and observed a white Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipe protruding from the property which was discharging a material into the Sturgeon Creek.
  • On three dates from May to October 2016, samples of the discharge material were taken from the pipe for ministry laboratory testing and analysis.
  • Test results indicated that one of the samples taken showed an E. coli value of 2,300,000 CFU/100ml, which is at a value that can potentially contribute to the degradation of water quality within the receiving waters of Sturgeon Creek.
  • The ministry’s Environmental Investigations and Enforcement Branch investigated and laid charges which resulted in one conviction against each of the defendants.