Right to a healthy environment?
Do governments owe us clean air and clean water? Many Canadians expect our government to protect us from contamination and other environmental harms in outdoor air, water and land. But is this a legal right?
Continue reading the post titled Right to a healthy environment?Need environmental motivation? Two good Canadian books to read
Here are two, very different Canadian books I’ve been reading recently on motivation to do something about the shocking, heartrending state of our environment, both of which I heartily recommend.
Continue reading the post titled Need environmental motivation? Two good Canadian books to readNo stay for Order to former officers and directors
The Environmental Review Tribunal has refused to stay a multimillion dollar order to the former officers and directors of a bankrupt company and its parent, pending appeal, whether or not the Ministry of the Environment had jurisdiction to issue the Order.
Continue reading the post titled No stay for Order to former officers and directorsUS governments propose Wildlife Climate Adaptation Strategy
As hundreds of starving sea lion pups wash up on the California coast, and as the Canadian government shuts down research into climate change, a coalition of American federal, state and tribal government agencies has released a National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy.
Continue reading the post titled US governments propose Wildlife Climate Adaptation StrategyRenovation costs for chemical sensitivities now tax deductible?
Congratulations to Ecojustice for its win in negotiating a settlement with Revenue Canada for a victim of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. People with this condition are adversely affected by chemicals in the environment (especially indoor air) that most people don’t notice.
Continue reading the post titled Renovation costs for chemical sensitivities now tax deductible?Turf wars – how green is artificial turf?
Kudos to those opposing the University of Toronto’s plan to use artificial turf for its back campus field, in time for the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. The opponents are right: there are good reasons for health and environmental concern about ripping up grass (muddy as it may be) and replac…
Continue reading the post titled Turf wars – how green is artificial turf?$25,000 fine for unreported waste oil spill
Huron District Contracting Limited was fined $25,000, plus a victim fine surcharge of $6,250, for spilling petroleum hydrocarbons from a waste oil tank. Huron District Contracting does marine construction and excavation near Goderich, Ontario. According to the Ministry of the Environment, &#…
Continue reading the post titled $25,000 fine for unreported waste oil spillBig fine for odour despite earnest efforts by compost company
Universal Resource Recovery Inc. was fined $80,000 for discharging odours from its Welland composting facility.
Continue reading the post titled Big fine for odour despite earnest efforts by compost companySunrise Propane explosion – landlords added to class action
Here’s an update on the Sunrise Propane explosion in Downsview, Ontario, and the gradual progress of the class action by the aggrieved neighbours. In July 2012, the Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice certified a class action against all proposed defendants except the Teskey defendants, whic…
Continue reading the post titled Sunrise Propane explosion – landlords added to class actionTimminco motion: A new twist in insolvency v environment
The insolvent metal processing company, Timminco, is attempting a new twist to “cleanse” creditors of environmental claims through insolvency law. They have applied to the Commercial List for permission to sell their valueless contaminated sites, for virtually nothing, to new sub…
Continue reading the post titled Timminco motion: A new twist in insolvency v environment