A new kind of climate change tax
Faced with the increasingly certain prospect of widespread infrastructure failure related to climate change San Francisco is proposing an interesting new measure—a $12 a year property tax upon property owners. While taxation is not a new tool for battling climate change, this proposed tax is…
Continue reading the post titled A new kind of climate change taxMaking the environmental grade: Ontario leads while Canada lags
A recent report published by the Conference Board of Canada has found Ontario to be the top environmental performing province in the country based on 9 criteria. But in the larger scheme of things, the same report found that the environmental record of Canada as a whole is woefully lacking c…
Continue reading the post titled Making the environmental grade: Ontario leads while Canada lagsRecent Case Highlights Importance of Severability Clauses in Employment Agreements
Most employers want simple, friendly hiring documents that are easy to understand and don’t look like they were drafted by lawyers. Trust me – I get it! To achieve this goal, employers sometimes want to remove important legal clauses from their offer letters or employment agreements. Most co…
Continue reading the post titled Recent Case Highlights Importance of Severability Clauses in Employment AgreementsAnother Conviction under the Migratory Birds Convention Act
The Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (MBCA) is again being used as a tool to protect migratory birds that are also species at risk. In early April, Bergedac Ltée, and a shareholder and employee of the company, were convicted and fined a total of $12,000 for violating Migratory Birds Conv…
Continue reading the post titled Another Conviction under the Migratory Birds Convention ActEnvironmental Assessment in the Courts
A duo of recent decisions underscore yet again the need for an overhaul of the existing environmental assessment (“EA”) regime. Environmental groups Greenpeace Canada, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Northwatch, and the Canadian Environmental Law Association (the “Applicants”) filed two judicial r…
Continue reading the post titled Environmental Assessment in the Courts$21,000 fine and restitution for road salt damage to trees
On April 6, 2016, Jaret Bousfield was convicted under the Environmental Protection Act for permitting the discharge of road salt that caused or was likely to cause damage to a neighbour’s mature cedar trees. Bousfield pleaded guilty to the charge, and was fined $5,000, plus the 25% victim fi…
Continue reading the post titled $21,000 fine and restitution for road salt damage to treesEndangered Species Litigation in Court of Appeal
Earlier this week, two environmental groups, Wildlands League and Ontario Nature (the “Appellants”), were in the Court of Appeal for Ontario seeking to have struck down a 2013 regulation that significantly altered the regime for protecting species at risk in Ontario. When initially introduce…
Continue reading the post titled Endangered Species Litigation in Court of AppealDry Cleaner Sentenced to House Arrest for Improper Storage of Tetrachloroethylene
An Edmonton businessman and owner of a dry cleaning operation, First Class Cleaners, was given an four-month conditional sentence on that is to be served in the community. The owner of First Class Cleaners plead guilty to five Canadian Environmental Protection Act offences relating to the u…
Continue reading the post titled Dry Cleaner Sentenced to House Arrest for Improper Storage of TetrachloroethyleneDry Cleaner Sentenced to House Arrest for Improper Storage of Tetrachloroethylene
An Edmonton businessman and owner of a dry cleaning operation, First Class Cleaners, was given an four-month conditional sentence on that is to be served in the community. The owner of First Class Cleaners plead guilty to five Canadian Environmental Protection Act offences relating to the us…
Continue reading the post titled Dry Cleaner Sentenced to House Arrest for Improper Storage of TetrachloroethylenePriestly Demolition fined $70,000 for Spill and Failure to Report to MOECC
The defendant, Priestly Demolition Inc. caused chlorine gas to be discharged into the environment when an employee operating a magnetic grapple attempted to move old pressurized gas cylinders. During the move, a valve snapped releasing the gas. The employee experienced a burning sensation an…
Continue reading the post titled Priestly Demolition fined $70,000 for Spill and Failure to Report to MOECC