More on approvals reform
Bill 68, the 166 page Open for Business Act [i] is now available for download. The Bill establishes a framework for reform of environmental approvals, as part of a three-year initiative intended to foster more efficient government services to business, while continuing to protect the environment and the public interest. This long-overdue Bill received first...
Continue reading the post titled More on approvals reformThings we wish judges knew about environmental offences by directors
Dianne Saxe had a precious opportunity to tell judges what we wish they knew about environmental offences by directors and and officers, particularly in relation to sentencing. Our bottom lines: Fairness, Good Science, and the real differences between Foresight and Hindsight. It is rarely constructive to severely punish people who are already doing their best, but...
Continue reading the post titled Things we wish judges knew about environmental offences by directorsBrownfields: Better information, fewer errors?
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has updated its Brownfields information webpage, as part of its massive IT overhaul. Meanwhile, the ministry is considering whether to fix some problems with regulation 153/04 (records of site condition and contaminated sites) before major changes come into effect July 1, 2011.
Continue reading the post titled Brownfields: Better information, fewer errors?Spring Roundup of citizen scientists
One way to make the impact of climate change more real is to participate in gathering scientific data about it. Everyone (including children) can participate in NatureWatch, a series of volunteer monitoring programs sponsored by the Environment Canada, Nature Canada, the Trillium Foundation, Ontario Parks, among others. By providing data that fills geographical gaps in...
Continue reading the post titled Spring Roundup of citizen scientistsRegulation of noise
Noise is one of the classic irritants that drives neighbours crazy.
Continue reading the post titled Regulation of noiseA new kind of climate change tax
Faced with the increasingly certain prospect of widespread infrastructure failure related to climate change San Francisco is proposing an interesting new measure—a $12 a year property tax upon property owners. While taxation is not a new tool for battling climate change, this proposed tax is unique in that is aimed wholly at dealing with climate adaptation,...
Continue reading the post titled A new kind of climate change taxGovernment’s Giant Mine remediation plan would leave site hazardous
Review Board agrees: the proposed Giant Mine Remediation Project IS likely to cause significant cumulative adverse impacts. It needs expensive changes.
Continue reading the post titled Government’s Giant Mine remediation plan would leave site hazardousA ‘dose of pragmatism’ from Court of Appeal
By Peter Dillon for AdvocateDaily.com Ontario’s Court of Appeal released its much-anticipated decision in this case on Jan. 25, 2018. I say much-anticipated because the summary judgement decision of Justice Wendy M. Matheson of the Superior Court of Justice had thrown the proverbial wrench into the works of most franchisors. Distilled version of the facts The franchise...
Continue reading the post titled A ‘dose of pragmatism’ from Court of AppealNo fault contaminated site liability in Nova Scotia
IMP Group International Inc. appealed unsuccessfully from a Nova Scotia Minister of the Environment Order to study and remediate offsite groundwater contamination that it did not cause.
Continue reading the post titled No fault contaminated site liability in Nova ScotiaDirectors of real estate agent liable for contaminated site?
How far can no-fault liability for contaminated sites go? The Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has issued a cleanup order to (among others) the accountant who held a power of attorney to sell a contaminated site for an overseas client, and the directors of a real estate company that listed the property for sale....
Continue reading the post titled Directors of real estate agent liable for contaminated site?Receive Blog Posts
By subscribing to our blog, you will receive an email when a new post is added. You can unsubscribe at any time by sending an email to us at [email protected] with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line.