Is Flyrock really a pollution discharge?
The Ministry of the Environment has prosecuted and convicted an Ontario company for failing to report a “discharge” when fly rock flew out of a construction site and damaged a house. Castonguay Blasting was following all proper precautions when the blast occurred, and immediately…
View the post titled Is Flyrock really a pollution discharge?Dumping construction waste: $150,000 fine
Willy’s Roll-Off Ltd., 1092066 Ontario Inc., Willis and Susan McKeown and Percy Pyper Ltd. pled guilty in February to impairing water quality, establishing a waste disposal site without approval, and failing to transport waste only to an approved site. They were fined a total of $150,000 plu…
View the post titled Dumping construction waste: $150,000 fineDrinking water standards getting a little tighter
Health Canada has released its new Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, prepared by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW).[1] This replaces the existing 1996 edition. Bottom line: the numbers are a little stricter than 15 years ago.
View the post titled Drinking water standards getting a little tighterLong ago and far away? Oil company liability
Chevron is not the only US oil company facing blockbuster claims for damages from South American indigenous groups, due to past environmental damage apparently sanctioned by their governments. The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to allow 25 Peruvian plaintiffs to sue Occidental …
View the post titled Long ago and far away? Oil company liabilityThe Agent Orange story keeps growing
We are closely watching the growing story about Agent Orange use in Ontario, and the possible toll it may be taking on affected workers. Mutagenic pesticides like Agent Orange can take decades to make people sick. And when a 60 or 70 year old gets cancer, it can be fiendishly hard to know wh…
View the post titled The Agent Orange story keeps growingTax incentives for brownfields
Ontario municipalities have demonstrated their commitment to brownfield redevelopment by investing in a wide variety of incentive programs for contaminated sites that include Community Improvement Plans (CIPs). Now, there is a consolidated source for locating active municipal brownfields fin…
View the post titled Tax incentives for brownfieldsMacQueen/ Sydney tar ponds class action update
MacQueen v Nova Scotia, the Sydney Tar Ponds class action, is still mired in wrangling over the proper definition of the class. Last fall, the plaintiffs were hopeful that certification was just around the corner, and proposed a revised, narrower class definition for the court’s approv…
View the post titled MacQueen/ Sydney tar ponds class action updateEnvironmental moot court
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the weekend Environment Moot Court at Osgoode Hall. I was very impressed by the calibre of the students, and by the wide support that both judges and the environmental bar gave to make the event a success.
View the post titled Environmental moot courtWind energy appeal moving fast
The first wind energy appeal to the Ontario Environmental Review Tribunal is moving quickly. The Kent Breeze approval was issued November 12, 2010. The Erickson appeal was filed on November 29. A preliminary hearing was held January 11. The hearing of the appeal began February 1 and will c…
View the post titled Wind energy appeal moving fastChevron, Ecuador, and court shopping
30,000 people, including indigenous tribes, suing Chevron (for toxic waste discharges by its predecessor, Texaco) obtained an $8.6 billion judgment this week from the Provincial Court of Justice of Sucumbios in Lago Agrio, Ecuador. The penalty is reportedly to be doubled if Chevron does not…
View the post titled Chevron, Ecuador, and court shoppingReceive 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.