SLAPP Panel recommends anti-SLAPP law
The Ministry of the Attorney General has published the report of the Anti-SLAPP Advisory Panel. The report is on the Ministry’s web site at: http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/anti_slapp/anti_slapp_final_report_en.pdf. The panel adopted most of the Ontario Bar Association recommendations that I helped to develop and present this summer. Here are the Panel’s conclusions:
Continue reading the post titled SLAPP Panel recommends anti-SLAPP lawGreen Energy Act finishes clause by clause review
The Legislative Committee on General Government finished its clause by clause review of Bill 150 today. To no one’s surprise, all 52 pages of the government amendments were adopted. The Bill now goes back to the floor of the Legislature for third reading, as amended. Draft regulations are expected to be released soon. According to...
Continue reading the post titled Green Energy Act finishes clause by clause reviewImputing Income in Family Law
Before a lawyer or judge can determine an appropriate amount of support for a person to pay, it is necessary to first determine the support payor’s income. Sometimes this is easy – if you are an employee, with no complicating factors, your income is accurately reflected on line 150 of your income tax return. But...
Continue reading the post titled Imputing Income in Family LawChanges for Personal Injury Plaintiffs Receiving ODSP Benefits
As of August 1, 2017, the amount of money personal injury plaintiffs who are receiving Ontario Disability Support Program (“ODSP”) benefits are eligible to receive as compensation for pain and suffering, for out-of-pocket expenses and future care costs, and for Family Law Act claims is no longer capped at $100,000. ODSP is a government program...
Continue reading the post titled Changes for Personal Injury Plaintiffs Receiving ODSP BenefitsCoal Mine Fined $4.5 Million for Provincial and Federal Offences
A coal mining company was fined approximately $4.5 million in federal and provincial penalties as a result of a spill from its tailings pond into tributaries flowing into the Athabasca River in Alberta. Prairie Mines & Royalty ULC (formerly known as Coal Valley Resources Inc.) pled guilty in Alberta Provincial Court on June 9, 2017,...
Continue reading the post titled Coal Mine Fined $4.5 Million for Provincial and Federal OffencesMOE bracing for renewable energy approvals
The Ministry of Environment is bracing for the 500 to 800 renewable energy approval applications that they expect to receive once the Ontario Power Authority issues its Feed In Tariff contract offers, starting in March. An approvals team has been assembled. Amid extensive internal consultations and 150 pre-submission meetings, the necessary forms are being released;...
Continue reading the post titled MOE bracing for renewable energy approvalsRenewable energy cooperatives
Bill 150 includes a a series of amendments to the Co-operative Corporations Act to encourage communities to set up renewable energy cooperatives. Cooperatives are a special sort of organizations structured for mutual benefit, with many advantages for community groups over conventional corporations. Ontario’s leading renewable energy cooperative is Windshare.ca, the group of public-spirited citizens who...
Continue reading the post titled Renewable energy cooperativesGreen energy generation, but what about transmission?
The "right to connect" is not as simple as it sounds.
Continue reading the post titled Green energy generation, but what about transmission?Text of GEA amendments
Here are 52 pages of the Government’s Amendments to Bill 150, the Green Energy and Green Economy Act. Opposition amendments were proposed but not passed. In addition to amendments highlighted in the minister’s announcement (see April 25 blog), significant amendments include: exemption from municipal control of “designated renewable energy testing projects”, such as masts erected to measure wind speed,...
Continue reading the post titled Text of GEA amendmentsCan the precautionary principle be used to block wind energy?
A Big Island resident, Ian Hanna, launched judicial review today to block renewable energy approvals under the regulations recently adopted to implement Bill 150, the Green Energy Act. Mr. Hanna argues that it is contrary to the precautionary principle to allow wind energy development in Ontario without further study of its alleged health effects. He...
Continue reading the post titled Can the precautionary principle be used to block wind energy?Receive Blog Posts
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