Report a Violation

Under Ontario Regulation 41/24: Prohibited Activities, Exemptions and Permits (formerly O.Reg. 148/060) pursuant to Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act, Cataraqui Conservation has the responsibility to regulate development (buildings and structures) and site alteration (excavation, grading, placement of fill) near waterbodies (steams, rivers, lakes), wetlands and hazardous lands. If you notice an activity being carried out in an area that may be regulated by Cataraqui Conservation and do not believe that a permit has been issued, please fill out the following form and one of our enforcement officers will investigate the matter.

A violation is any activity that occurs in the Regulated Area without permission from Cataraqui Conservation.

The Regulated Area includes land near:

  • Shorelines
  • Steep slopes and areas of unstable bedrock adjacent to a waterbody
  • Creeks, rivers, or valley lands
  • Wetlands
  • Areas prone to flooding

A Violation Activity could include:

  • Excavating, grading, importing fill, placing rocks, installing culverts, modifying creeks and streams
  • Building or expanding any kind of structure including a house, garage, shed, boathouse, decks, accessory structures or permanent dock
  • Dredging, shoreline retaining walls, erosion control, and other in-water works

Reporting a Violation - Form Submission

Before submitting your concern, please read and acknowledge you understand the following:

Please note that all efforts will be made to maintain the confidentiality of all personal information. If the violation leads to court proceedings, certain personal information will be disclosed to the court and may become public record.

Staff will only contact you if they have questions about your submission or require further information. Under privacy legislation we do not report on the status of the investigation and not all reports will result in an investigation as it may fall outside of our regulatory authority. Cataraqui Conservation may share your information with partner municipalities and other government agencies who may have jurisdiction or interest in the matter.

We do not respond to the following complaints:

  • Tree and vegetation removal. Tree cutting is subject to regulation by individual municipalities. Cataraqui Conservation may be involved with tree and vegetation removal complaints if there has also been site alteration (excavation, grading) or if it has resulted in interference with a wetland.
  • Fish or fish habitat. If you believe there may have been a harmful impact to fish or fish habitat, please contact the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
  • Spills and water contamination. If you believe a spill or other type of discharge has occurred and may be contaminating the environment, contact the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks via their online reporting tool or call the Spills Action Centre Hotline at 1-866-MOE-TIPS (663-8477).
  • Land use planning (e.g. proposed development such as a subdivision). If you have a concern about a development proposal, please contact your local municipality. As part of the municipal planning process, Cataraqui Conservation is circulated on and may review planning application proposals.