Fair limits on liability
Many engineering consulting firms have adopted standard terms and conditions that we think lack fundamental fairness between client and consultant.
View the post titled Fair limits on liabilityAboriginal consultation and renewable energy approvals
In order to implement the Green Energy Act, Ontario has recently adopted O. Reg. 359/09, to set up a new regime for accelerated approvals of renewable energy projects (wind, solar, anaerobic digestion and biomass combustion). One key element of the new regime is a six month “service guaran…
View the post titled Aboriginal consultation and renewable energy approvalsRenewable Energy Approvals- Plain Language Guide
The Ontario government is hurrying to release plain language guides to its new renewable energy approvals regime. A Renewable Energy Approval Guide is expected to be released shortly, followed by public consultation on draft Technical Guidance. In the meantime, an overview of the approvals r…
View the post titled Renewable Energy Approvals- Plain Language GuideWind and the precautionary principle
I don't expect Ian Hanna to succeed in his lawsuit to block the Ministry of the Environment from issuing renewable energy approvals for wind projects
View the post titled Wind and the precautionary principleGreenhouse gas reporting
The US EPA has published its final rule on greenhouse gas reporting for 31 American industrial sectors; see the Federal Register (www.regulations.gov) under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0508-2278. The rule will be effective December 29, 2009. EPA is still considering reporting rules for t…
View the post titled Greenhouse gas reportingHow do you measure a setback?
As I am writing my commentary on the new renewable energy approvals regulations, I have noticed an unusual wrinkle. Unlike all other Ministry of the Environment setbacks, noise setbacks are measured from the centre of the noise receptor property/building, not from the property boundary. See…
View the post titled How do you measure a setback?How long does a prosecution take?
Average prosecutions in Toronto now take 239 days, after the charges are laid, and 11.7 court appearances, according to the Ministry of the Attorney General. Unsurprisingly, cases move a little faster outside Toronto. In the Ottawa region, for example, the average charge is resolved in 193 d…
View the post titled How long does a prosecution take?Ian Hanna, redux
On October 19, I wrote about Ian Hanna, the Big Island resident who is suing for an injunction to block the Ministry of Environment from issuing any renewable energy approvals for wind projects. Such an injunction would prevent the construction of almost all new commercial wind projects. Bas…
View the post titled Ian Hanna, reduxQuick Overview of Canadian Environmental Law
Please checkout our new page, with its quick summary of Canadian environmental in an easy-to-read, question and answer format. It starts: Legislation 1 Main environmental regulations What are the main statutes and regulations relating to the environment? Under Canada’s constitution, environm…
View the post titled Quick Overview of Canadian Environmental LawHow big are 25,000 tonnes of GHG?
Ontario is proposing to follow the US lead, and require mandatory greenhouse gas emission reporting from organizations and facilities that emit more than 25,000 tonnes of CO2e per year. (Our federal reporting threshold has just dropped from 100,000 tonnes to 50,000.) Even 25,000 tonnes will …
View the post titled How big are 25,000 tonnes of GHG?Receive Blog Posts
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