More on that rare tree victory

by Dianne Saxe on June 18, 2013

Mature trees add beauty and character to any neighbourhood, while providing shade in the summer, wildlife habitat and cleaner air. As climate change makes our summers more sweltering, trees are becoming more important than ever. Considering how important trees are to our physical and mental health, it’s a scandal and a shame that the law and our governments do so little to protect them. All the more reason to celebrate a rare victory this spring, and to congratulate Clay Ruby for yet another win in the public interest. [click to continue…]

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Endangered Species Act: permit by rule going ahead

by Dianne Saxe on June 17, 2013

Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources is moving ahead to shift some Endangered Species Act permits to a “permit by rule”/ registration system, through  Ontario Regulation 176/13. This “Modernization of Approvals” initiative is modelled on the successful one already well underway in the Ministry of the Environment. It was supported by the report of the Endangered Species Act Panel, as one of its six themes.
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Oil Sands tailings pond management not meeting environmental targets

June 14, 2013

The Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board has released its  2012 Tailings Management Assessment Report, Oil Sands Mining Industry. It concludes: 6 Conclusions Industry performance over the 2010/2012 reporting period has not met the original expectations of Directive 074. However, the ERCB notes that all operators have • committed significant resources towards managing their tailings in accordance [...]

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Household chemical exposure warning for pregnant women

June 13, 2013

The United Kingdom’s Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have released a position paper, recommending that pregnant women be advised about potential risks from daily life chemical exposures, including personal care and household chemicals. The paper, Chemical Exposures During Pregnancy: Dealing with Potential, but Unproven, Risks to Child Health, concludes that pregnant women should consider reducing their exposure [...]

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Northern Gateway pipeline doomed by BC and aboriginal opposition?

June 12, 2013

For an interesting take on the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, and the likely impact of the British Columbia government’s public rejection of the proposal, check out the excellent US environmental news program, Living on Earth. Like many other observers, Living on Earth concludes that the federal government might find it hard to override BC’s opposition to [...]

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Bill 91, New Waste Reduction Act

June 10, 2013

Ontario Environment Minister Jim Bradley has introduced Bill 91, a proposed Waste Reduction Act, 2013. The new Act is intended to kickstart further waste diversion, especially in the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors, where waste diversion rates remain low. It will also require waste diversion costs to be embedded in the price of products, instead [...]

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Ministry of Education revises its Statement of Environmental Values

June 6, 2013

Ontario’s Ministry of Education has a revised Statement of Environmental Values under the Environmental Bill of Rights.

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Ontario Failing Our Future on Climate Change

June 5, 2013

In his latest report, Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner again strongly criticizes the Ontario government for doing too little on climate change. The Ontario government has done a lot, most notably closing coal-fired power plants and adopting the Green Energy Act. In this, Ontario compares well to other provinces and to our foot-dragging federal government. However, Commissioner [...]

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Bill 83: Anti SLAPP law at last

June 4, 2013

Ontario is finally introducing an anti SLAPP law later today, the Public Participation Act, 2013. We worked hard to reach this result, through the Ontario Bar Association, and in cooperation with other stakeholders. Lets hope it is acceptable to the NDP and will be passed with their support.

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More evidence that exposure to pesticides and solvents may cause Parkinson’s

June 4, 2013

A recent report in a leading peer reviewed medical journal, Neurology, again concludes that exposure to pesticides and solvents is linked to a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The report evaluates the results of 104 studies from around the world.

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Ontario to give municipalities more control of siting large wind projects

June 3, 2013

Ontario will increase local control over future renewable energy projects, as previously promised by Premier Wynne.

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Drennan Anti-Wind Lawsuit Stayed Until Tribunal decides

May 31, 2013

Shawn and Trisha Drennan farm in the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, where K2 propose to develop a wind power project of 140 wind turbines (270 megawatts).  As discussed in our earlier blog, the Drennans started a lawsuit, hoping to prevent construction of the wind farm. They claim that the regulatory scheme for granting approval to wind turbines [...]

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Watch Castonguay flyrock appeal at Supreme Court of Canada

May 29, 2013

Interested in the Castonguay appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada? Everything is now online, except the decision. This includes the webcast (see below).

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Enforcement leads to nature reserve land swap

May 28, 2013

A cabin owner illegally built a cabin within a conservation reserve. The owner was charged. As part of plea negotiations, the cabin owner proposes a substantial land exchange with the MNR: 40 hectares of new land for the 0.13 where the cabin now stands. MNR now plans to amend the conservation reserve regulation to allow [...]

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$500,000 Fisheries Act fine for illegal pesticide use on salmon farm

May 27, 2013

Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd. pleaded guilty to violating the Fisheries Act. Its illegal use of a pesticide contributed to substantial lobster kills in southwestern New Brunswick. The court ordered Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd. to pay a total of $500,000, one of the largest and most significant penalties ever levied in Canada under the Fisheries Act.

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