Developer fined for illegal land clearing
After years of litigation, a British Columbia land developer has been personally fined $20,000 for harmful alteration of fish habitat contrary to section 35 of the Fisheries Act. He illegally cleared land and damaged a sensitive fish bearing creek, in order to prepare the land for a subdivis…
View the post titled Developer fined for illegal land clearingRecent Decision Affirms Precautionary Principle
In May of this year, the Federal Court released a decision that affirms the importance of the precautionary principle in the management of fisheries. The decision (Morton v Canada (Fisheries and Oceans), 2015 FC 575) comes as a result of a challenge, launched by lawyers at Ecojustice on beha…
View the post titled Recent Decision Affirms Precautionary PrincipleFisheries Act: Weaker or Tougher?
With Bill C-38, the omnibus Budget Implementation Act, Bill C-38, the Conservative government will bring sweeping changes to Canada’s environmental landscape. To make approvals easier for oil sands projects and related pipelines, the Fisheries Act will be particularly affected. Major changes…
View the post titled Fisheries Act: Weaker or Tougher?Farmer goes to jail
John Boonstra, a cattle farmer in Smithers, British Columbia, was sentenced on October 11, 2011, to three days jail time, one day for each charge under section 79.6 of the Fisheries Act.
View the post titled Farmer goes to jailOntario flurry of convictions
In a typical year, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment launches about 150 to 175 prosecutions. About 75% of them are resolved by guilty pleas; about 5% are acquitted at trial; about 10% are convicted of something at trial; about 10% are withdrawn. Thus, we expect to hear about 12 or so c…
View the post titled Ontario flurry of convictionsCan we still eat fish?
Can a responsible person still eat fish?
View the post titled Can we still eat fish?What's New in Canadian environmental laws?
In keeping with the differing priorities of our federal and provincial governments, there have been far fewer changes in Canadian environmental laws in the past year, than in Ontario laws. The biggest federal changes have been increases in potential penalties and enforcement powers, especi…
View the post titled What's New in Canadian environmental laws?Receive Blog Posts
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