The undercover investigation into Iron's actions started in 2016. A conservation officer, whose identity remains protected by the publication ban, travelled to Canoe Narrows posing as a scientist. The officer offered Iron $25 initially and $20 every month after to place "air-quality monitoring equipment," which was fake, in Iron's yard. Iron agreed to the officer's proposal. The undercover officer visited Iron's home to "check" and "change" filters on the fake equipment filters once or twice a month between June 2016 and October 2017