Drive Clean fines: $52,500 plus surcharge
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment obtained fines of $52,500 plus the 25% Victim Fine Surcharge against a Markham Drive Clean Facility, its owner and drive clean inspector and four of its customers for submitting false information about Drive Clean tests. Kwok-Man (Bill) Hon was the bus…
Continue reading the post titled Drive Clean fines: $52,500 plus surchargeNorthstar directors liability to be decided by Environmental Tribunal
The Ontario Superior Court will not take over the hearing of the appeal of the former Northstar directors against their personal cleanup order for TCE contamination in Cambridge Ontario. The former directors applied to the Commercial List of the Superior Court of Justice to change the venue …
Continue reading the post titled Northstar directors liability to be decided by Environmental TribunalObama’s climate announcement: worth reading
For those, like myself, who had not yet had time to read President Obama’s program for tackling climate change, I think it is well worth reading. Ambitious, but practical. Important, but achievable. We really could do something worthwhile about this worldwide scourge. “… a …
Continue reading the post titled Obama’s climate announcement: worth readingMunicipality can’t bring Charter challenge to wind approval rules
The Environmental Review Tribunal has quashed an attempt by a municipality to bring a Charter challenge to Ontario’s wind energy approval rules. Undoubtedly, however, the same Charter challenge will be brought soon by one or more individuals. In Municipality of North Middlesex v. Direc…
Continue reading the post titled Municipality can’t bring Charter challenge to wind approval rulesNorthstar/ Baker Order: Government doesn't have to explain its case
The Environmental Review Tribunal has ruled that the Director, Ministry of the Environment, doesn’t have to specify its basis for imposing personal liability, by order, on the former directors and officers of two Northstar companies (Baker v. Director), at least not now. Despite uncont…
Continue reading the post titled Northstar/ Baker Order: Government doesn't have to explain its caseWhat Should You Do If You Are Being Investigated?
Previously, Clearing the Air examined the difference between an MOE inspection and an investigation. In her latest entry, Paula Lombardi provides details on what you should do if you find yourself the subject of an investigation. If you are being investigated or inspected, having a clear ope…
Continue reading the post titled What Should You Do If You Are Being Investigated?Climate change worsening extreme weather everywhere
The world experienced unprecedented high-impact climate extremes during the 2001-2010 decade, which was the warmest since the start of modern measurements in 1850 and continued an extended period of pronounced global warming. More national temperature records were reported broken than in any…
Continue reading the post titled Climate change worsening extreme weather everywhereNo Ostrander wind farm because access road bad for turtles
Bravo to the Environmental Review Tribunal for standing up for endangered species. On July 3, after a 40-day hearing, the ERT revoked Gilead Power’s renewable energy approval (REA) to develop a wind farm on 324 hectares of Crown land in Prince Edward County’s Ostrander Point. But not becaus…
Continue reading the post titled No Ostrander wind farm because access road bad for turtlesAgent Orange report confirms: some Ontario workers were poisoned
The Ontario government has released a report concluding that some pesticide applicators in Ontario were exposed to dangerous levels of Agent Orange between 1948 and 1979 — the same chemical used to defoliate the jungle during the Vietnam War. Although most Agent Orange was used by municipali…
Continue reading the post titled Agent Orange report confirms: some Ontario workers were poisonedWhen Is a Layoff Not a Layoff?
Q. When Is a Layoff Not a Layoff? A. When it’s a termination. A recent decision of the Ontario Superior Court has given some employers confidence that they will always be allowed to lay off employees provided they follow the requirements of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“the ESA”). U…
Continue reading the post titled When Is a Layoff Not a Layoff?