Developer hit with multiple charges after allegedly making death threats: 'Ignorance is no excuse'
A Prince Edward Island developer and his company allegedly destroyed wetlands without the proper permits, CBC reported.
Even more concerning, court documents revealed that he threatened to kill employees of the department that oversees the province's Environmental Protection Act.
As CBC reported, Nathan Kember and his company, Strategic Holdings, Inc., faced numerous charges in Summerside provincial court. The province asserted that they performed work in a buffer zone and in or around a wetland without obtaining the necessary permits.
The 32-year-old developer was originally facing seven Environmental Protection Act violations and four criminal charges.
On April 11, though, the company president and his lawyer entered two guilty pleas on environmental charges, and the Crown withdrew the two other charges against the company and the seven charges against Kember. According to CBC, the company was ordered to pay $20,000 in fines.
The two guilty pleas were for "altering or disturbing the ground within 15 metres of a watercourse or wetland boundary and operating heavy machinery in that same area without the proper permits," according to CBC.
Kember's lawyer stated that his intention is to provide sustainable housing to the community.
Judge Krista MacKay noted: "Mr. Kember, if you're going to be in the development business … it's up to you to know what the rules are. In these facts before me ... ignorance is no excuse."
The criminal charges against Kember that are related to the threats were adjourned until May.
This story is disturbing because of the developer and company's alleged blatant disregard for the environment. Wetlands are incredibly important ecosystems that provide many benefits, such as regulating temperatures, providing natural buffers from floods and droughts, and supporting wildlife with habitat.
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Wetlands' destruction can increase the likelihood of natural disasters, destroy biodiversity, and displace populations. Obtaining the necessary legal permits and following environmental laws are essential to preserving these delicate areas and preventing harmful human activities that threaten them.
Social media users on the r/PEI feed were outraged about this case, and locals flooded the government's attorneys with correspondence.
"We shouldn't be letting him slide on this," one Reddit user wrote in response to a post about the news.
"It's frustrating to watch," another commented. "But the clock does eventually run out!"
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