Enforcement action against Vintage Views Developments Ltd. and its owner, Johnny Joseph Aantjes, have resulted in nearly $160,000 in penalties. This penalty is the result of a pattern of violations associated with the wastewater disposal system at Heritage Hills. Kelly Mills, director of B.C.’s Environmental Management Act, applied penalties for several violations of the Act. These violations covered 2022-2024 and had incredibly documented widespread violations of complaints. This troubling decision puts adherence to environmental law and the safety of millions of people’s drinking water in the area at risk.
Inspectors tested 112 samples within a two-year testing cycle. Consequently, they found that there were no consequences for not meeting effluent quality standards. Of the samples taken, 43 were above the allowable levels. To be specific, 33 of these samples went over the fecal coliform limit by more than 10 times. These violations caused or had a great potential to adversely affect the quality of their drinking water. In addition, they would threaten nine public groundwater supply wells situated down gradient from the disposal field.
Significant Violations Detected
During that time, from May 2022 to May 2024, inspectors sampled the sewage system directly. It was Vintage Views Developments Ltd. that operated this system from start to finish. What those results found was shocking trends in effluent quality.
“The magnitude of the fecal coliform exceedances indicate that the facility has failed to disinfect the effluent in any measurable way,” said Kelly Mills, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. The amount of contamination varied greatly, with some samples exceeding allowable limits by up to 60,400 percent.
Concerns from these findings grew to include alarming implications for public health and safety. One of the groundwater supply wells, critical to the community’s survival, is especially at risk, located just 100 meters from the disposal field. This close proximity raises concern about potential contamination which may threaten local residents’ drinking water.
Developer’s Response
Aantjes has been vocal about his opinion that Vintage Views Developments Ltd. has been subjected to an unjust process during the course of the investigation. He criticized the lack of opportunities for his company to interview multiple witnesses during the inquiry, suggesting that the investigation lacked transparency.
“Yes, we’ve made mistakes. At the end of the day, it’s not a very level or fair playing field,” Aantjes stated, reflecting his frustrations with how regulatory matters have unfolded. He remarked on what he perceives as a broader issue, cautioning that “you’re going to be seeing this happen more and more,” as provincial standards for wastewater and drinking water continue to rise.
Surprised by the outpouring of opposition, Aantjes accused regulatory bodies of engaging in a “power grab.” He claimed that they are trying to take over utilities and not merely enforce environmental regulations.
“It’s not just a money grab, it’s a power grab. They want control of the utilities,” he noted, indicating that he believes such actions are detrimental to both developers and communities.
Future Developments and Community Impact
Regardless of the fines levied, Aantjes has stated that Vintage Views Developments Ltd. is currently working on moving in a more positive direction. In April 2025, residents went to the polls in droves to pass a plan. This plan facilitated the regional district’s assumption of the Vintage Views Wastewater System. This agreement represents hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade and modernize the system. Specifically, it directs no less than $13.5 million towards improvements to the Lakeshore Waterworks System and an additional $7 million for improvements to the Vintage Views Wastewater System.
“This decision has been a long time coming, and it’s great that the residents can now know the future direction their water and wastewater services will be taking,” said Matt Taylor, reflecting community sentiments on the transfer.
To help facilitate this transition, Mills reduced the overall penalty of several thousand dollars for Vintage Views Developments Ltd. Yet despite his understandable excitement about moving on, Aantjes remains critical of how his company has been treated through this process.
