A couple linked to a successful Brampton trucking business has been ordered to pay a combined $15,000 in fines and complete costly restoration work after transforming part of their residential property in Milton into an unauthorized truck parking area without permits.
According to court findings, the dispute began in 2023 when the Town of Milton received complaints about large quantities of gravel being brought onto a property on Esquesing Line.
Investigators later determined the gravel was being graded and expanded to create a levelled area intended for parking tractor-trailers connected to the owners’ trucking business.
A municipal bylaw officer issued a stop-work order after observing the work proceed without required approvals.
However, the court heard activities continued even after the order was served and charges were laid in May 2024.
As of sentencing, no permit had been issued and the property had not yet been restored.
Court Rejects Defence Argument
The property owners argued they believed they were only maintaining an existing gravel driveway that was already present when they purchased the land in 2019.
They also cited the absence of proven drainage or environmental damage and their lack of prior offences as reasons for leniency.
But Justice of the Peace Trevor Howard rejected that position, finding the changes went far beyond maintenance.
He ruled the scale and altered dimensions of the gravel area showed an intention to create a commercial parking lot to support the trucking business.
What the Owners Must Do Now
In addition to the fines, the couple has been ordered to:
- Apply for the necessary permit
- Remove the imported fill material
- Restore the property within 120 days of receiving approval
- Provide any future buyers with a copy of the court order within 10 days
The judge noted that remediation work would likely be expensive and reduced the original requested fines by 25 per cent to account for those costs.
One of the owners has reportedly said the ruling will be appealed.
The case serves as a warning to property owners across Ontario that residential land cannot be converted for commercial use without proper approvals — and ignoring stop-work orders can become far more costly in the end.