Weird loophole in Toronto sewer bylaw
Toronto seems to have a weird and expensive loophole in its sewer bylaw. Virtually every municipal sewer bylaw prohibits the discharge of non-municipal water, such as storm water or groundwater, into its sanitary sewers. Stormwater and groundwater are permitted only in storm or combined sewe…
View the post titled Weird loophole in Toronto sewer bylawEndangered Species exemptions survive court challenge
Sweeping exemptions from Ontario’s protection for endangered species have been upheld by the Divisional Court, despite concerns that they reduce the effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act, 2007. In Wildlands League v. Lieutenant Governor in Council, 2015 ONSC 2942, Ecojustice, the…
View the post titled Endangered Species exemptions survive court challengeWhy special rules for endangered species on roads to turbines?
Why should endangered species protection in Ontario be different for roads to wind turbines, as opposed to roads leading anywhere else? Ontario has an elaborate system that allegedly protects endangered species. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), endangered, threatened or extirpated spe…
View the post titled Why special rules for endangered species on roads to turbines?Ontario industries can finally burn waste not coal
Ontario’s energy intensive industries have finally been permitted to burn many kinds of waste, in place of coal. Cement companies, among others, are now looking for sufficient quantities of eligible biomass they can dry and burn to fuel their kilns. With cap and trade on the way, this …
View the post titled Ontario industries can finally burn waste not coalBetter comments on permit-by-rule for water taking
Will Ontario’s proposed rules for “permit-by-rule” water takings work? Stephen English of the Region of Halton has graciously allowed me to post some of his helpful comments on the details of Ontario’s proposal to replace some Permits to Take Water, especially for con…
View the post titled Better comments on permit-by-rule for water takingFisheries Act private prosecution goes ahead
As we wrote earlier, in December 2014 Marilyn Burgoon received approval to bring a private prosecution against Executive Flight Centre Fuel Services and the Province of British Columbia for violations of the Fisheries Act related to a large fuel spill into a sensitive creek. The province too…
View the post titled Fisheries Act private prosecution goes aheadMOECC Updates – May 2015
As part of our ongoing efforts to keep you informed of environmental issues that could impact your business, we have collected this list of recent MOECC news and fines for violations of the Environmental Protection Act and the Ontario Water Resources Act. If you have any questions or would l…
View the post titled MOECC Updates – May 2015Cheese whey spill: $80,000 fine
Even seemingly innocuous substances, like human food and drink, can be hazardous to the natural environment. And spills of food and drink must be reported. Silani Sweet Cheese Limited manufactures a cheese at a facility in Bradford, West Gwilliumbury. In January 2013, ricotta cheese whey ove…
View the post titled Cheese whey spill: $80,000 fineEven brief discharges must be reported
Metcan Industries, which manufactures synthetic slag products, was convicted of failing to report a discharge of particulate that lasted “a couple of minutes”. The company was fined $10,000 plus the $2,5000 victim fine surcharge, under the Ontario Environmental Protection Act. (…
View the post titled Even brief discharges must be reported$350,000+ fine for cement plant dust and noise
Essroc Canada Inc. was fined $350,000, plus the victim fine surcharge of $87,500, for dust and noise from its cement manufacturing facility near Picton. The fine was suggested jointly by the company and by the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Essroc pleaded guilty to disch…
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