New cars: greenhouse gas limits and ethanol
Canada will control greenhouse gases, although only when the US does. Last week, Canada and the US jointly announced stricter limits on GHG emissions from new cars (light-duty vehicles). This is the first-ever federal regulation to directly control GHG emissions across Canada. Our federal go…
View the post titled New cars: greenhouse gas limits and ethanolFederal environmental assessment shrinks
Eliminating federal EA makes it less likely that cumulative impacts will be evaluated, such as climate change.
View the post titled Federal environmental assessment shrinksTransit class action, EA and the St. Clair Streetcar
Curactive Organic Skin Care is starting a class action over the St. Clair streetcar. It wants to sue the Ontario government, Toronto and the TTC for $105 million in damages. Curactive says hundreds of small businesses lost money, due to delays in transit construction, and to changes in the d…
View the post titled Transit class action, EA and the St. Clair StreetcarOil sands tailing wastes and dead ducks
In Alberta provincial court, Syncrude is on trial for the death of 1600 migratory ducks, who were unable to escape from its oil sands tailing ponds in 2008. Federal and provincial governments allow Syncrude to create the giant, deadly ponds, as long as they take reasonable care to frighten t…
View the post titled Oil sands tailing wastes and dead ducksBig climate win for Harper
Harper gambled that he could break both domestic and international law and get away with it, and he was right.
View the post titled Big climate win for HarperWant to find a certificate of approval?
It’s a new era of transparency: Every recent air and waste certificate of approval in Ontario is now available on line. Check out your neighbours, your competitors, yourselves- we no longer have an excuse not to know.
View the post titled Want to find a certificate of approval?Kyoto Protocol Implementation decision tomorrow
On March 25, the Supreme Court of Canada will decide Friends of the Earth’s application for leave to appeal. In 2006, FOE asked the Federal Court of Canada to order the Harper government to comply with a valid Canadian statute on managing climate change, the Kyoto Protocol Implementati…
View the post titled Kyoto Protocol Implementation decision tomorrowDoes law have to be so dysfunctional?
It's a debate worth having - have we allowed the role of litigation and courts to expand too much, in environmental and other fields? And if so, what should we do about it?
View the post titled Does law have to be so dysfunctional?Designing a holdback clause
Real estate transactions often include holdbacks to deal with environmental issues. Unfortunately, the holdback clauses are often poorly worded, which can lead to unnecessary disputes. A recent case in the Ontario Superior Court illustrates the problem:
View the post titled Designing a holdback clausePaper recycling in Ontario takes a hit
Atlantic Packaging Products is closing its recycled newsprint plant in Whitby, because of a “drastic” decline in North American newsprint demand, the high Canadian dollar, and high operating costs in Ontario. The plant was Canada’s first to produce 100 per cent recycled newsprint, and also p…
View the post titled Paper recycling in Ontario takes a hitReceive Blog Posts
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