Former Sask. minister Bill Boyd pleads guilty to 2 environmental charges

Former Saskatchewan minister of the economy and retired KindersleyMLA Bill Boyd has pleaded guilty to two charges relating to violations of wildlife habitat protection and environmental management laws.

The Ministry of Environment confirmed Tuesday Boyd pleaded guilty to one charge under theWildlife Habitat Protection Act and another under the Environmental Management and Protection Act.

• Sask. MLA Bill Boyd charged with 4 environmental violations

Two other charges under the Environmental Management and Protection Actwere dropped.

The case has been adjourned until April 17 for sentencing.

Premier responds

The NDPissued a news release Tuesday containingallegations that Boyd received a 'special' land lease which it said is connected to the ongoing court casewhile he was still a member of the Saskatchewan Party caucus.

Premier Scott Moe told reporters in Regina that Boyd's case would be treated fairly.

"I think the people of the province can be assured that anybody will be treated in a similar fashion given the circumstances and the laws of the province were enacted and investigated and upheld in a court here in the province of Saskatchewan," said Moe.

"I think the people can have faith in the system that we have in place and that it is accountable that everybody is accountable, to the same set of laws."

Charges laid in 2017, some dropped

Boyd was originallycharged with three counts under the Environmental Management and Protection Act and one count under the Wildlife Habitat Protection Act.

One count alleged Boyd cultivated an area ofnative grasslandnear Eston, Sask.,between April 1 and May 3.

The other counts alleged that between June 15 and July 15he altered the configuration of the bed, bank or boundary of the South Saskatchewan River near Eston;displaced, added or removed material from the riverbed; and removed vegetation from its bank.

• Environmental charges against Bill Boyd relate to land near controversial irrigation project

The Ministry of Environment has not yet confirmed which of these charges were dropped on Tuesday.

A government representative said at the time that the land in questionis Crown land owned by the Ministry of Agriculture.TheSouth Saskatchewan River is regulated by the Water Security Agency.

Total fines to be determined

Although Crown and defenceagreed on a $5,000 fine relating to altering the native grasslands, the twodid not reach a consensusregarding a fine forthe second countrelatedto modifyingthe riverbank.

Crown prosecutor Mathew Miazgapushed for an increased penaltyof $25,000 to $30,000.

"Any timeyou'redealing with riverbank and flowing water, it's more complicated toremediateit," said Miazga, when asked why he stood by the higher dollar figure.

The judge did not come to a decision Tuesday.

"Those orders were actually issued by the courts," Miazga said.

"They weren't disputed, so the only thing the court is sort of making a decision on is how big the fine should be on count number two."

He said the judge will likely deliver a decision on the fine at the April17 court date.

Boyd booted from caucus over conflict of interest

In August of last year, then-premier Brad Wall booted Boyd from the Saskatchewan Party caucus after the retiring MLA was found to be in a conflict of interest through his involvement inan immigration-irrigation scheme.

• Bill Boyd booted from caucus over conflict of interest, legal action possible

Boyd and the provincial NDP requested the review following an investigation by CBC's iTeam into Boyd's business activities.

The report by the Saskatchewan's Conflict of Interest Commissioner Ron Barclay concludedBoyd violated the province's conflict of interest act.