Jason Unrau
Northern News Services

Inuvik (June 17/05) - John Bernhardt is sick and tired of litter bugs using the north end of Navy Road as their personal dump.

"I have no idea who's doing it," he said Monday. "But I'm pissed off and I want to let people know that this is not a dumping ground."

John Bernhardt points to dumped meat, contents of a refrigerator somebody deposited outside the roadway entrance to his father's home at the end of Navy Road. - Jason Unrau/NNSL photo

Bernhardt currently occupies his father Albert's home and according to him, nearly each day he returns from work to find more trash - including honey bucket bags and discarded animal remains.

"It's attracting bears. A lot of tourists are heading out this way and I don't want to be responsible for a bear attack."

Bernhardt said that on Sunday he discovered a load of discarded caribou and geese remains.

Jerry Veltman, Senior Administrative Officer for the Town of Inuvik, said that he has been made aware of the dumping and has sent a bylaw officer to investigate.

"We want to try and determine who's responsible," said Veltman. "If we do the cost of the cleanup will be part of (the fine)."

Town bylaws

According to town bylaws, the culprits could be on the hook for as much as $2,000 in fines and face six months in jail.

As for the animal remains, Veltman said that is a Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources issue.

Acting Environment and Natural Resources Superintendent Tim Devine said an investigation into the dumped animal remains is underway and some abandoned fish and beaver pelts recovered near Navy Road.

Devine said fish waste falls under the federal Fisheries Act, which is enforced by territorial government. Discarding a beaver pelt is a violation under the GNWT Wildlife Act.

If the person or persons responsible for leaving the beaver are found, either a $570 fine or a date before a judge could be rendered. Those who left the fish behind would automatically be faced with a court date and fine to be determined.