Health, wind, science, and our sad federal priorities
Since Ontario regulations already require mitigation if noise is predicted to exceed 40 dBA at sensitive receptors, will it help to spend two years proving that there ought to be mitigation at 45 dBA?
Continue reading the post titled Health, wind, science, and our sad federal prioritiesPerformance management is not “harassment”!
Words are important. Words like “bullying” and “harassment” are especially important because they refer to improper conduct which can result in negative legal consequences. But too often, employees don’t understand the legal definition of these words. Today, I’m particularly annoyed by em…
Continue reading the post titled Performance management is not “harassment”!Soil remediation: smell test stands up in court
The latest decision in the Horvath saga has upheld the “smell test” in delineating home furnace oil contamination for remediation.
Continue reading the post titled Soil remediation: smell test stands up in courtMore Regulation for Geothermal Heat Pumps
The Ministry of the Environment moved swiftly this spring to increase regulation of geothermal (ground-sourced) heat pump installations, because of an urgent risk of releasing hazardous underground gases. Ontario revoked the old regulation governing Ground Source Heat Pumps and replaced it w…
Continue reading the post titled More Regulation for Geothermal Heat PumpsClimate crisis: Insurers Tell Weather Like It Is
Our federal government does not like to talk about climate change, so the Insurance Bureau of Canada has released a hard hitting report on the damage that climate change is already causing in Canada: Telling the Weather Story: Can Canada Manage the Storms Ahead? This is the same message tha…
Continue reading the post titled Climate crisis: Insurers Tell Weather Like It IsAmmonia leak, $25,000 fine
Windsor company, 38 Chatham Street East Ltd., pleaded guilty to discharging anhydrous ammonia into the natural environment, which interfered with the normal conduct of business, contrary to the Environmental Protection Act of Ontario.
Continue reading the post titled Ammonia leak, $25,000 fineGHG regulation by US EPA upheld
Can the US Environmental Protection Agency enforce its ambitious greenhouse gas emission rules under the Clean Air Act? Yes, according to the Endangerment Opinion of the District of Columbia US Court of Appeals:
Continue reading the post titled GHG regulation by US EPA upheldOntario’s Court of Appeal Certifies Class Actions Questioning Overtime Policies
It turns out CIBC and Scotiabank will be required to defend their overtime policies against class actions by employees, according to the Court of Appeal. The banks had successfully defended certification motions in the lower courts on the grounds that the issues were not “common” enough amon…
Continue reading the post titled Ontario’s Court of Appeal Certifies Class Actions Questioning Overtime PoliciesECO on Green Energy Act and Conservation
The prolific Environmental Commissioner of Ontario has issued his Annual Energy Conservation Progress Report for 2011 under the Green Energy Act, and he isn’t very impressed.
Continue reading the post titled ECO on Green Energy Act and ConservationMinimizing Liability Now That The 24-Month Cap on Reasonable Notice Is In Question
Although we often tell clients that determining the reasonable notice period in any given situation is more art than science, one thing we’ve felt confident about is the 24-month cap – unless there are exceptional circumstances, no matter how much seniority an employee has and no matter what…
Continue reading the post titled Minimizing Liability Now That The 24-Month Cap on Reasonable Notice Is In Question