Hepburn took an aggressive position with respect to timber licences in Northern Ontario that were being held by companies that would not (or could not) cut wood on them. In that regard, in 1936 the "Forest Resources Regulation Act" was passed that granted the government broad powers for mandating minimum production quotas, maximum limits in line with good forestry practice, reducing licensed acreages where they were in excess of requirements, and increasing stumpage fees on companies "operating or carrying on business in a manner detrimental to the public interest." Great Lakes Paper saw its holdings reduced from to , and was assessed a $500,000 penalty ($ in current terms) for refusing to participate in a minimum price agreement set up by the Ontario and Quebec governments.