Posts Tagged ‘Species at Risk’

After bizarre saga, Information and Privacy Commissioner decision gives hope for better access to scientific studies

July 5th, 2013 by Paula Boutis

On May 14, 2013, the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) issued a long awaited appeal decision (pdf) on the Ministry of Natural Resources’ (MNR) and the Ministry of Transportation’s (MTO) refusal to release natural heritage reports. Ostensibly access was refused on the basis of Cabinet privilege. On appeal, the IPC ordered the release of these reports to Sierra Club Ontario Chapter (SCO).

This was a bizarre case of the left hand not talking to the right hand, and the Ministries wanting it both ways.

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Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Draft Policies and the Review Cycle for the Provincial Policy Statement

November 27th, 2012 by Paula Boutis

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has embarked on its five year review of the Provincial Policy Statement, a document which underpins land use planning decisions in the province of Ontario.

The Canadian Environmental Law Association and EcoJustice have submitted their comments to the proposed revisions.

You can find a copy of their full submissions here (pdf).

“Species at Risk” Legislation In Ontario and Canada

November 8th, 2012 by Iler Campbell LLP

Paula Boutis and our articling student, Jessica Weizenbluth, recently authored a paper on species at risk legislation which Paula presented as part of the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Six Minute Environmental Lawyer 2012. The paper and presentation provide an overview of the laws on the books, how they have been applied, case law, and where the legislation is going from here. Download the paper and presentation here.

The Politics of enforcing laws protecting Polar Bears in Canada

January 11th, 2012 by Laura Bowman

The U.S. Center for Biological Diversity recently filed a petition at the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, that Canada is not effectively enforcing the Species At Risk Act (SARA) by failing to list and protect the Polar Bear as an endangered or threatened species.  Currently, the Polar Bear is listed as a species of special concern.  SARA sets up a process for listing that is intended to be based on objective science (the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada or COSEWIC).  Although COSEWIC’s last evaluation raised alarm bells about the future of Polar Bears, the Minister has not listed them.  There are continued controversies over which population units of the Bears should be protected and how.

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