Looking Forward: What’s on the horizon?
It’s not always enough to understand and apply the law as it stands today. Employers also need to look to the future in order to make good decisions in the present. This is because today’s decision may be scrutinized by a court or tribunal at some point in the future and any transitions in …
Continue reading the post titled Looking Forward: What’s on the horizon?Will Environmental Tribunal enforce public trust in water?
Ecojustice has intervened in an appeal before Ontario’s Environmental Review Tribunal, hoping that they will enforce a public trust in water resources. Nestle Canada Inc. (“Nestle”) runs Ontario’s largest water bottling operation. They pump groundwater from two different sets of wells …
Continue reading the post titled Will Environmental Tribunal enforce public trust in water?Innocent owner Kawartha Lakes loses at Court of Appeal
The Ontario Court of Appeal has upheld a decision of the Environmental Review Tribunal, refusing to allow an innocent landowner, City of Kawartha Lakes, to lead evidence about the actual polluters. Everyone agreed that the City was completely innocent of the fuel spill, which flowed onto mun…
Continue reading the post titled Innocent owner Kawartha Lakes loses at Court of Appeal$17,500 penalty for importing hazardous batteries without permit
Toxco Waste Management Ltd., of Trail, B.C., was ordered to pay $17,500 to the Environmental Damages Fund (EDF) by the Provincial Court of British Columbia after pleading guilty to importing waste lithium batteries exceeding the limit set out in its import permit. This action contravened the…
Continue reading the post titled $17,500 penalty for importing hazardous batteries without permitGender Expression and Gender Identity: New Protected Grounds of Discrimination
In June 2000, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (“OHRC”) released its Policy on Discrimination and Harassment because of Gender Identity, taking the position that the ground of sex could be used to protect transgender people from discrimination and harassment. The OHRC also called for an a…
Continue reading the post titled Gender Expression and Gender Identity: New Protected Grounds of DiscriminationSome Alberta oil sands monitoring data now public
Access to some federal and provincial environmental monitoring data on air, water, land and biodiversity in the oil sands is now available through an online data portal. The portal is a result of the Joint Canada–Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring announced in February 2012.
Continue reading the post titled Some Alberta oil sands monitoring data now publicChevron Ecuador case- no enforcement in Canada
The $18 billion award given in Ecuador against Chevron for environmental damage won’t be enforced by seizing Chevron Canada, according to Justice David Brown. The epic legal battle to enforce this, allegedly fraudulent, judgment has now spread around the globe. Plaintiffs brought the o…
Continue reading the post titled Chevron Ecuador case- no enforcement in CanadaWainfleet’s anti-wind turbine by-law invalid
In Wainfleet Wind Energy Inc. v. Township of Wainfleet (2013 ONSC 2194), Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice found the Township’s anti-wind by-law invalid for vagueness and uncertainty.
Continue reading the post titled Wainfleet’s anti-wind turbine by-law invalidEasy useful things to support public transit, now
At this week’s meeting of the Eco Babes, a group of women in the sustainability professions agreed to work together to build support for public transit in the Greater Toronto Area. If you’d like to help, read on.
Continue reading the post titled Easy useful things to support public transit, nowKawartha Lakes appeal heard by Court of Appeal
The City of Kawartha Lakes has appealed to the Ontario Court of Appeal from a Ministry of the Environment Order, which imposed cleanup liability on the City for contamination it did not cause. The City argues that the MOE should have imposed those cleanup costs on the polluters, meaning eith…
Continue reading the post titled Kawartha Lakes appeal heard by Court of Appeal