An Edmonton-based peat moss supply company will have to pay $6,000 in fines after a longstanding verbal agreement with a contractor resulted in a ticket for operation of an uninsured motor vehicle.
Laura Harvey, senior vice president and general manager of Aurora Peat Products, made a second appearance in Boyle Court of Justice Oct. 22 to plead guilty to one count of permitting another person to drive a motor vehicle without insurance on the highway.
On June 24, a truck associated with Aurora Peat Products was pulled over near Boyle and the driver ticketed for no insurance. Harvey appeared in Boyle Court on Sept. 24 to address the charge and told court the truck had been sold to a contractor prior to the ticket and was no longer owned by Aurora.
Traffic Crown prosecutor Sheila Ries amended the charge from driving a motor vehicle on the highway with no insurance to allowing another person to drive a motor vehicle without insurance.
Harvey entered a guilty plea to the amended charge, indicating a previous Aurora executive had agreed to continuing insuring the truck despite no longer owning it.
“It was an agreement that happened with my predecessor for quite a few years” said Harvey. “That verbal agreement has now been replaced with a proper service-level agreement and under it the registration and insurance is all appropriate.”
Justice Robert Shaigec handed down the Crown’s ask of the minimum fine for a corporation, $5,000, plus a $1,000 victim-fine surcharge. Aurora Peat Products was given until Dec. 23 to pay the fines owing.