Environment Ministry to loosen law for waste-based alternative fuels that displace coal
Kudos to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment for finally coming to grips, at least a little, with the adverse environmental and environmental effects of labeling too many productive activities as “waste disposal”. The ministry’s proposed regulatory changes will remove the “waste disposal” label from energy-intensive and trade-exposed heavy industry (such as the cement, lime, iron and steel...
Continue reading the post titled Environment Ministry to loosen law for waste-based alternative fuels that displace coalCurrent environmental liability issues for municipalities
On June 17, Dianne Saxe and Graham Rempe of the City Toronto’s Legal Services spoke on the issue of current environmental liabilities for municipalities. Graham gracious agreed to allow us to post the paper we prepared here. As the introduction explains: Few topics evoke more concern about “vast” liability than environmental mishaps. Municipalities and their legal advisors...
Continue reading the post titled Current environmental liability issues for municipalitiesAnti-Fluoride in Drinking Water: Litigation Update
Will citizen group litigation and the threat of personal liability stop fluoridation of drinking water in Ontario? In our earlier blog post, we described a threat by an advocacy group called Concerned Residents of Peel to End Water Fluoridation (Concerned Residents) against Peel municipal councillors. The group threatened the councillors with personal liability if they did not stop the Region from...
Continue reading the post titled Anti-Fluoride in Drinking Water: Litigation UpdateNew regulations to reduce coal?
Getting rid of coal in electricity generation made Ontario Canada’s leader in reducing GHG emissions. Now that we have a remarkably climate-friendly electrical system, what about other uses of coal in Ontario? The Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) says it will get out of the way of coal reductions by heavy...
Continue reading the post titled New regulations to reduce coal?Sydney Tar Ponds Environmental Class Action is over
The neighbours wanted to hold the federal and provincial governments liable for air, water and soil pollution caused by the historic Sydney steel mill and coke works
Continue reading the post titled Sydney Tar Ponds Environmental Class Action is overEndangered 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 Wildlands League and the Federation of Ontario Naturalists (“Wildlands”), bravely but unsuccessfully challenged the validity of Ontario Regulation...
Continue reading the post titled Endangered Species exemptions survive court challengeNew environmental laws in Ontario
It was a big week for new environmental laws in Ontario. Last week, on November 3, a trio of environmental laws–each of which has suffered a tortured history of introduction, death, and re-incarnation–finally received royal assent and came into effect: the Great Lakes Protection Act, 2015, Invasive Species Act, 2015, and the Protection of Public Participation Act, 2015....
Continue reading the post titled New environmental laws in OntarioSnapping Turtle Hunt Banned in Ontario
The Ontario government has announced amendments to the Hunting Regulation (O Reg 665/98, made under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997) that will, among other changes, prohibit the hunting of snapping turtles in the province. In its original posting to the Environmental Registry (the “Registry”) the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (“MNRF”) proposed...
Continue reading the post titled Snapping Turtle Hunt Banned in OntarioIs Canada closer to recognizing a legal right to a healthy environment?
The federal parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development has released a report resulting from its review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). The standing committee has recommended that a right to a healthy environment be included in forthcoming revisions to the text of CEPA by including reference to a right to a...
Continue reading the post titled Is Canada closer to recognizing a legal right to a healthy environment?Municipal Car Reduction Strategies
Municipalities are starting to focus on finding ways to reduce the pollution, traffic congestion, and other urban issues caused by an overabundance of cars on municipal streets. There are many strategies available to municipalities looking to reduce the volume of cars using their infrastructure. Often, municipalities implement programs to make it more expensive for cars...
Continue reading the post titled Municipal Car Reduction StrategiesReceive Blog Posts
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