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Published on: 20 Dec 2018 By

“Protective” and “Preventative” Purpose of Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act Justifies Warrantless Inspection Powers

In a decision released December 14, 2018, the Ontario Court of Appeal clarified the legal test that authorizes a warrantless inspection under s. 156(1) of the Environmental Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.19 (“EPA”). Facts of the Case In the case, Ontario (Environment and Climate Change) v…

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Published on: 6 Jan 2015 By (Dianne Saxe)

Largest Canadian environmental penalty: $7.5 MM

Environment Canada obtained the largest environmental penalty ever imposed in Canada for breaches of the Fisheries Act and Metal Mining Effluent Regulations by a mining company: $7,500,000. The breaches occurred in 2011 and earlier under the old Fisheries Act, before massive changes to the l…

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Published on: 27 Feb 2014 By (Dianne Saxe)

Things 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 co…

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Published on: 24 Feb 2014 By

Ecuador oil pollution claim can try again to collect from Chevron in Canada

Indigenous Ecuadorian villagers can try again to enforce a controversial $18 billion environmental damage award against Texaco (now merged with Chevron Corp., one of the world’s largest corporations) in Canada. This is part of a worldwide legal battle between the villagers, seeking to …

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Published on: 10 May 2013 By (Dianne Saxe)

$17,500 penalty for importing hazardous batteries without permit

Toxco Waste Management Ltd., of Trail, B.C., was ordered to pay $17,500 to the Environmental Damages Fund (EDF) by the Provincial Court of British Columbia after pleading guilty to importing waste lithium batteries exceeding the limit set out in its import permit. This action contravened the…

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Published on: 24 Jan 2011 By (Dianne Saxe)

Environmental Violations Administrative Monetary Penalties

The federal Environmental Violations Administrative Monetary Penalties Act is now in force. In June 2009, the federal government passed the Environmental Enforcement Act, to amend nine existing environmental statutes and to create the Environmental Violations Administrative Monetary Penaltie…

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Published on: 14 Jan 2010 By (Dianne Saxe)

Haiti, deforestation and environmental collapse

Deforestation (together with corruption and violence) had brought Haiti close to environmental collapse even before this week’s tragic earthquake. See, for example http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/01/13/world/americas/1247466532047/haiti-s-legacy-of-environmental-disaster.html. See …

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