Soot: another path to climate action… if we take it
What’s the best way to slow climate change? Governments have mostly wasted the last twenty years, conspicuously failing to effectively reduce the greenhouse gases in the Kyoto Protocol basket ( CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulphur hexafluoride)…
View the post titled Soot: another path to climate action… if we take itBiodiversity protection- how good?
Just as the Ministries of Environment and Natural Resources brace for cuts, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario has released another timely special report on the grave threats to biodiversity in Ontario.
View the post titled Biodiversity protection- how good?Ponoka fined $70,000 for sewage discharge permitted by province
While federal environmental enforcement is less frequent these days, the fines imposed are getting larger. The small town of Ponoka, Alberta (population about 7000) was fined $70,000 after pleading guilty to one count under the Fisheries Act. The Town was releasing effluent from their wastew…
View the post titled Ponoka fined $70,000 for sewage discharge permitted by provinceNew federal wastewater regulations a challenge for municipalities
Dianne spoke last month at the annual Canadian Water and Wastewater Association “Window on Ottawa”, on potential risks to municipalities of the new Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations under the Fisheries Act, expected to appear shortly in the Canada Gazette. Bottom line, the …
View the post titled New federal wastewater regulations a challenge for municipalitiesDo Pollution Exclusion clauses work?
Will pollution exclusion clauses stand up in commercial general liability insurance policies? The Ontario Court of Appeal says yes, when they are directed at activities likely to cause traditional soil and water pollution. See ING Insurance Company of Canada v. Miracle (Mohawk Imperial Sales…
View the post titled Do Pollution Exclusion clauses work?Pharmaceuticals, drinking water, and liability
The better our detection ability becomes, the more things we find in the water. One important group of those things is pharmaceuticals and their metabolites. Pharmaceuticals are specifically designed to affect the bodies, brains and behaviour of humans and other animals, at comparatively low…
View the post titled Pharmaceuticals, drinking water, and liabilityDrinking water standards getting a little tighter
Health Canada has released its new Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, prepared by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW).[1] This replaces the existing 1996 edition. Bottom line: the numbers are a little stricter than 15 years ago.
View the post titled Drinking water standards getting a little tighterEnvironmental fines in Canada
Nimonik has posted an interesting and original survey of environmental fines imposed in Canada from 1990 to 2009. According to the reports provided by each jurisdiction, only $26-million dollars worth of environmental fines have been levied against polluters by both provincial and federal l…
View the post titled Environmental fines in CanadaCumulative pollution a Charter breach?
Ecojustice has launched a lawsuit on behalf of Aamjiwnaaang First Nation members, Ron Plain and Ada Lockridge, alleging that the cumulative effects of government approved pollution in Sarnia’s Chemical Valley amounts to a violation of their human rights under sections 7 and 15 of the …
View the post titled Cumulative pollution a Charter breach?Tar ponds class action close to certification?
The most interesting part of the judgment will be how it treats pollution impacts on human health.
View the post titled Tar ponds class action close to certification?Receive Blog Posts
By subscribing to our blog, you will receive an email when a new post is added. You can unsubscribe at any time by sending an email to us at [email protected] with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line.