MOE 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
View the post titled MOE wins: Kawartha Lakes must payFinancial Assurance after business closes
An MOE order for financial assurance can be enforced even after the business has closed and been evicted from its premises, and even without a full hearing by the Environmental Review Tribunal. The ERT had enough evidence to know that the cleanup would cost much more than the existing financ…
View the post titled Financial Assurance after business closesBP to spend $400M to reduce emissions from tar sands refinery
When BP received approval to re-engineer its Whiting operation in Indiana, intended to refine oil from Canada’s tar sands, environmental groups challenged the permits. It turned out that BP’s air permit application did not accurately reflect the real emissions from the refinery. As exp…
View the post titled BP to spend $400M to reduce emissions from tar sands refineryHelping out in the Gambia
Our associate, Meredith James, recently returned from some pro bono guest lectures at the University of the Gambia’s Faculty of Law. She spoke to the first year torts class about environmental torts and how they might be used in local scenarios. For example, open burning of waste is a common…
View the post titled Helping out in the GambiaVale Fined $150,000 For Failing To Report Spill
Fines for not reporting environmental spills are soaring. Vale Canada Limited has pled guilty to one violation under the Ontario Environmental Protection Act for failing to notify the Ministry of the Environment of an oleum acid escape during tanker loading.
View the post titled Vale Fined $150,000 For Failing To Report SpillSmith 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…
View the post titled Smith v. Inco: leave to appeal refusedSaxe 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…
View the post titled Saxe Law Office a proud supporter of the first Twitter Moot50 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…
View the post titled 50 years of mercury pollution: Grassy NarrowsMine 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…
View the post titled Mine or hauler: Who's responsible for Waste PCB Oil?OBA prods AG on Anti-SLAPP
The Ontario Bar Association has reminded the Attorney General of the need for anti-SLAPP legislation in Ontario:
View the post titled OBA prods AG on Anti-SLAPPReceive Blog Posts
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