Environment

Bill C‑38 creates open season on Canada’s natural environment

June 8th, 2012 by Paula Boutis and Laura Bowman

On April 26, 2012, the federal government tabled Bill C-38, the 2012  Budget Bill.  The Bill was reviewed before the Standing Committee on Finance which just released its report recommending that part 3 of the Bill be carried as written.  Part 3 of Bill C-38 contains several significant changes to federal environmental legislation, including:

  • the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act,
  • the National Energy Board Act,
  • the Canadian Oil and Gas Operations Act,
  • the Nuclear Safety and Control Act,
  • the Fisheries Act,
  • the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and
  • the Species at Risk Act.

Here we describe highlights of the two most important legislative changes, to CEAA and the Fisheries Act.

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Iler Campbell Supports the Black Out Speak Out Campaign

June 1st, 2012 by Iler Campbell LLP

We’ve joined millions of Canadians to speak out in defence of two core Canadian values: Nature and Democracy.

Our land, water and climate are all threatened by the latest federal budget. Proposes changes in the budget bill will weaken environmental laws and silence the voices of those who seek to defend them.

On June 4th, we will black out our website and blog in support of the Black Out Speak Out campaign.

Be sure to visit the campain website to learn about what this bill will mean if it’s passed.

If you’ve been following our blog you’ll already have read about a number of the issues including how changes to the Income Tax Act will restrict charities’ political activities, and how proposed changes to fish habitat provisions of the Fisheries Act will impact fish species.

Please join us in supporting this campaign.

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The costs of hiding environmental information

April 26th, 2012 by Iler Campbell LLP

Laura Bowman wrote our Pro Bono column on rabble.ca this month. In it, she discusses access to environmental information:

For citizens and NGOs who want to challenge environmental decisions, the biggest obstacle is usually obtaining information about the potential environmental effects of a decision or project.  In the 1990s, the Ontario government passed the Environmental Bill of Rights which was supposed to make access to environmental information easier.

Read the column here

Rumours about forthcoming federal environmental assessment changes abound

April 19th, 2012 by Laura Bowman

On April 17, Joe Oliver, federal Minister of Natural Resources made announcements and gave interviews about the fate of Canada’s beleaguered federal environmental assessment law, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.  No specific amendments have been provided, so it is difficult to understand exactly what the government is proposing to do.

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Proposed Changes to Fish Habitat Provisions of the Fisheries Act

April 18th, 2012 by Laura Bowman and Paula Boutis

In mid‑March 2012, a number of news outlets reported that the Harper government is looking at significant changes to the wording of the Fisheries Act after they were leaked to Otto Langer.

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Important Environmental Law Amendments in the Ontario 2012 budget bill

April 17th, 2012 by Laura Bowman

The Ontario Government recently introduced Bill 55 – Strong Action for Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2012.   Budget bills are exempt from the posting and public consultation requirements of the Environmental Bill of Rights.  As a result, the public does not have the same opportunities to contribute to decision making when a number of environmentally significant laws are changed in a budget Bill.  Overall the budget Bill adds exemptions both in law and through additional regulatory powers to a variety of environmental processes.

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