Environmental Assessment in the Courts
A duo of recent decisions underscore yet again the need for an overhaul of the existing environmental assessment (βEAβ) regime. Environmental groups Greenpeace Canada, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Northwatch, and the Canadian Environmental Law Association (the βApplicantsβ) filed two judicial review applications of the EAs conducted as part of the proposed expansion of a nuclear power...
Continue reading the post titled Environmental Assessment in the CourtsAnother Conviction under the Migratory Birds Convention Act
The Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (MBCA) is again being used as a tool to protect migratory birds that are also species at risk. In early April, Bergedac LtΓ©e, and a shareholder and employee of the company, were convicted and fined a total of $12,000 for violating Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 for the destruction...
Continue reading the post titled Another Conviction under the Migratory Birds Convention ActNew Trails Legislation Introduced in Ontario
Just in time for the upcoming summer holiday season, Ontario has passed new legislation designed to improve and protect the provinceβs trails system. The new act, the Supporting Ontarioβs Trails Act, 2016, act introduces a new piece of legislation, the Ontario Trails Act, 2016. The Ontario Trails Act, 2016 aims to (s. 1): To increase...
Continue reading the post titled New Trails Legislation Introduced in OntarioOntario's proposed approach to cap and trade
Last week, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (βMOECCβ) posted to the Environmental Registry its proposed approach to establishing a cap and trade regime in the province. Preferred and considered options for such a regime wereΒ are outlinedΒ in a βCap and Trade Program Design Optionsβ document, upon which the MOECC is accepting comments...
Continue reading the post titled Ontario's proposed approach to cap and tradeHalf of World’s Natural Heritage Sites Are Under Threat
A chilling report recently released by WWF (formerly World Wildlife Fund) has found that nearly half of the worldβs UNESCO-designated natural World Heritage Sites are threatened by industrial activities including oil, gas, and mineral extraction, overfishing, and illegal logging. Sadly, some of the worldβs most iconic natural sites have made it onto the WWFβs list,...
Continue reading the post titled Half of World’s Natural Heritage Sites Are Under ThreatTransCanada to sue US under NAFTA over Keystone XL decision
Calgary-based pipeline company TransCanadaΒ has filed a Notice of Intent to Arbitrate (“Notice”) under article 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”). It issued the Notice in response to US president Barack Obama’s November 6, 2015Β refusal to grant theΒ necessary approval to complete construction ofΒ Keystone XL, a proposed trans-national pipeline that would deliver crude oil...
Continue reading the post titled TransCanada to sue US under NAFTA over Keystone XL decisionPCBs in fish
PCBs in your fish dinner? Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) were used for decades in industry and to make electrical equipment like transformers and capacitors.[i] They are slow to break down and hard to destroy.Β PCB are known carcinogens and have been linked to adverse reproductive, immune, nervous and endocrine effects, among others.[ii] Trace levels are found...
Continue reading the post titled PCBs in fishDrive Clean tweaked
OntarioβsΒ vehicle emissions control program, Drive Clean, is getting a tuneup. Amendments to Ontario Regulation 361/98[i] (Motor Vehicles) under the Environmental Protection Act will modernize the Drive Clean program.[ii] By December 12, 2012, the Acceleration Simulation Mode (dynamometer) tailpipe test will be replaced with: [iii],[iv]
Continue reading the post titled Drive Clean tweakedBird-building collisions and ECAs
The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (“MOECC”) has posted to the Environmental RegistryΒ (“ER”) a proposal for a draft regulatory amendment to exempt reflective building surfaces (such as the windows of office buildings) from requiring an Environmental Compliance Approval (βECAβ). (Unfortunately, the date for providing comments has just passed). Reflective building surfaces are...
Continue reading the post titled Bird-building collisions and ECAsFurther momentum on cap and trade
The Ontario government announced earlier this week the signing of an MOU between Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba to link their respective cap and trade programmes. The agreement was signed while the Premiers of the three provinces were participating in the Paris Conference on Climate change (COP21) that is wrapping up this week. Manitoba is a...
Continue reading the post titled Further momentum on cap and tradeReceive Blog Posts
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