Powerful reports by environmental commissioners
Congratulations to both the federal and provincial environmental commissioners, who continue to strenuously remind our governments how far they fall short on environmental stewardship, and who both issued powerful reports this week. Bees, Algonquin Park, “Chemical Alley”, urban s…
View the post titled Powerful reports by environmental commissionersShould Energy Board consider climate before approving pipelines?
Can, and should, the National Energy Board consider climate impacts before approving oil pipelines? The federal government says no, objectors say yes. Now the courts must decide.
View the post titled Should Energy Board consider climate before approving pipelines?Cree in court battle over environmental assessment and waterpower
The Divisional Court is grappling with a complex battle between two possibly overlapping First Nations over whether a Northern Ontario hydropower project is being lawfully evaluated under the Environmental Assessment Act and an agreement with three First Nations: Cree Nation (MoCreebec Counc…
View the post titled Cree in court battle over environmental assessment and waterpowerDid Conservatives mislead country on environmental assessment "delays"?
Canada’s environmental review process for projects such as oil and gas pipelines did not have backlogs or other unreasonable delays that would justify the timelines imposed by the federal government last year, according to a study in the respected Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aqua…
View the post titled Did Conservatives mislead country on environmental assessment "delays"?Waterpower projects can't be reviewed because they don't get review?
So, waterpower development can't be reviewed by the ERT, because it gets only minimal scrutiny under the Environmental Assessment Act. Given the substantial adverse environmental impacts that waterpower development can have, it is incongruous to exempt it so fully from public review.
View the post titled Waterpower projects can't be reviewed because they don't get review?New Canadian environmental assessments exclude stakeholders and issues
The new standing rules in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, have now been interpreted the first two times, with contradictory results. The Prosperity Mine panel, in BC, has wisely interpreted the new standing rules broadly, including experts, Non-Governmental Organizations, Fi…
View the post titled New Canadian environmental assessments exclude stakeholders and issuesNew Canadian environmental assessment: a rose by any other name?
Officially, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, has abolished most federal environmental assessment screenings, but the practical effect is less than it appears. Parks Canada, for example, has simply replaced the old Canadian Environmental Assessment Act process with its new, …
View the post titled New Canadian environmental assessment: a rose by any other name?Federal environmental assessments will be rushed
Now that federal environmental assessments are gone, the federal government will only assess very large, very important projects. But it’s going to do them in a hurry.
View the post titled Federal environmental assessments will be rushedNarrower Canadian Environmental Assessment Regime in force
The new Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, is now in force, and federal environmental screenings are a thing of the past.
View the post titled Narrower Canadian Environmental Assessment Regime in forceWaterpower is not always green
I’ve supported renewable energy for more than 30 years, even before my years as legal counsel for the Ministry of Energy. And I’m a strong supporter of the Green Energy Act. But every type of energy generation has drawbacks, and none of them are suitable everywhere. Most solar, w…
View the post titled Waterpower is not always greenReceive Blog Posts
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