Do we still have federal Environmental Assessment?
Resource project proponents should find it quicker, easier and cheaper to get permission to build what they want, with far less interference from the federal government, or those pesky environmental groups. The courts will eventually tell us whether they can so easily dispose of oppositio…
Continue reading the post titled Do we still have federal Environmental Assessment?Smith v. Inco: leave to appeal refused
The Supreme Court of Canada has refused Ellen Smith leave to appeal from the crushing dismissal of her class action against Inco. No reasons were given. Her lawyers now face a difficult hearing to determine how large a cheque they will have to write to Inco to pay for its legal costs, at tri…
Continue reading the post titled Smith v. Inco: leave to appeal refusedEasier approvals for renewable energy
The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) is proposing regulatory amendments to O.Reg. 359/09 under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) and to Reg. 334 under the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) to streamline the regulatory process for renewable energy projects as part of the response to th…
Continue reading the post titled Easier approvals for renewable energySaxe Law Office a proud supporter of the first Twitter Moot
In February, West Coast Environmental Law organized the world’s first Twitter moot. As sponsor of Osgoode’s winning team, we are pleased to say it was a resounding success! At one point more people were discussing the Twitter Moot than any other issue in Canada (it was the “trending to…
Continue reading the post titled Saxe Law Office a proud supporter of the first Twitter MootCitizen air quality monitoring?
Can large amounts of low quality, citizen-collected environmental data produce meaningful results
Continue reading the post titled Citizen air quality monitoring?Bike Union: Jarvis EA breach?
In response to a City Council resolution to remove the Jarvis Street bike lanes that were installed in July 2010, and add a fifth reversible centre lane, the Toronto Cyclists Union sought a legal opinion whether the Project would be subject to screening under the Municipal Class Environmenta…
Continue reading the post titled Bike Union: Jarvis EA breach?50 years of mercury pollution: Grassy Narrows
Fifty years ago last month, in March 1962, Dryden Chemicals began dumping an estimated 10 metric tonnes of mercury into the Wabigoon River, contaminating the fish which formed the subsistence and economy of three Indigenous communities Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy Narrows), Wabaseemoong (Wh…
Continue reading the post titled 50 years of mercury pollution: Grassy NarrowsResidents get leave to appeal landfill closure
Where evidence indicates that the landfill may be causing contamination, a precautionary approach requires that the harm be presumed to be occurring unless and until there is concrete evidence that it is not. In situations where scientific uncertainty exists as to whether an activity is …
Continue reading the post titled Residents get leave to appeal landfill closureMine or hauler: Who's responsible for Waste PCB Oil?
In Enviro West Inc. v. Copper Mountain Mining Corp. a waste hauler was hired to remove waste oil from a transformer at a mine. Despite several oral and written warnings, the hauler didn’t realize the oil was heavily contaminated with PCBs. As a result, the hauler mixed the PCBs with ot…
Continue reading the post titled Mine or hauler: Who's responsible for Waste PCB Oil?State of the Unions
In the wake of belt-tightening budgets from government and a growing sense that labour relations are entering a more difficult period in both the public and private sectors, an article in last weekend’s Globe and Mail by John Allemang makes for interesting reading – whether your organization…
Continue reading the post titled State of the Unions