GHG 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 QuestionDon’t Forget to file your 2012 Customer Service Accessibility Report
Is your organization in the private or not-for-profit sector? Does it provide goods or services to the public or to third parties? Does it have 20 or more Ontario employees? If the answer is YES to all three questions, then your organization must file its 2012 Customer Service Accessibility …
Continue reading the post titled Don’t Forget to file your 2012 Customer Service Accessibility ReportKawartha Lakes to seek leave to appeal
The City of Kawartha Lakes has given notice that it will seek leave to appeal the Divisional Court’s decision, which upheld an MOE order against it. The Order required Kawartha Lakes, the victim of a third party oil spill, to pay for the cleanup of that spill on public property. This i…
Continue reading the post titled Kawartha Lakes to seek leave to appealQuarry approved on Escarpment
Did you think the Niagara Escarpment was actually protected? A Joint Board of the Ontario Municipal Board and the Environmental Review Tribunal have conditionally approved a massive new Walker Brothers quarry on the Niagara Escarpment, over the objections of the Niagara Escarpment Commission…
Continue reading the post titled Quarry approved on EscarpmentLiability for recreational trails
In our December article for Municipal World, we wrote about municipal liability to cyclists for failing to maintain roads in a proper state of repair. Municipalities could similarly find themselves liable as the occupiers of recreational path systems, if the trails are not adequately maintained.
Continue reading the post titled Liability for recreational trailsMunicipal incentives for Brownfields
The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has released a very useful website, Municipal Financial Incentives for Brownfield Redevelopment – Trends among Ontario Municipalities to provide information and analysis on how Ontario municipalities are employing planning and financial tools to…
Continue reading the post titled Municipal incentives for BrownfieldsMOE wins: Kawartha Lakes must pay
innocent victims of contamination now have no defence against a Ministry cleanup order. They will be forced into the civil courts if they hope for any remedy
Continue reading the post titled MOE wins: Kawartha Lakes must pay