Ontario farmer says he has to pay $400,000 in archeological fees to build a home on his field – National Post

Aug 02, 2024

Bruce Cassel said he was told by the Ontario government that until the dig is complete, he could face fines or even jail time for stepping out into his own field

An Ontario property owner says he was quoted roughly $400,000 in total costs for a provincially mandated archeological assessment and dig after shards of stone were found in his field that have been identified as Indigenous artifacts.

Bruce Cassel said he was told by the ministry of culture and multiculturalism that he could face steep fines or even jail time under the Ontario Heritage Act for disrupting the artifacts.

“It’s consumed a lot of my time, trying to make sense of the situation, trying to get answers in regards to the situation,” Cassel said. “I’m sure it’s played on me a bit, but at the same token I’m just trying to understand the situation and why I’ve been put in this predicament.”

Read More: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/ontario-waterloo-north-dumfries-indigenous-artifacts