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A 10-Second Environmental Compliance Check Up
If you have a question about an environmental compliance issue, or would like us to address a specific environmental compliance issue in the future, contact Christopher Paré, P.Geo. at 519-979-4500, ext. 114. Environmental Compliance Tips 2019 June: Environmental Emergency Regulations, 2019 Is there a list of the 33 new regulated substances (in Schedule 1) under the Environmental Emergency Regulations (E2)? Yes, see the list of substances provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada. If you have questions or need assistance with your E2...
read moreChanges in Ontario: Environmental Commissioner’s Office and TRA Eliminated
While the environmental violation by Air Liquide Canada happened two years ago (April 2017), the matter was recently settled in court. The violation, a release of 815 kilograms of ammonia, resulted in some people seeking shelter and one person who experienced eye and throat irritation. For Air Liquide Canada, it cost them $100,000 and another $25,000 victim surcharge (paid to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks). This violation was relatively minor when compared to some of the previous violations we have shared (see Limiting...
read moreEnvironmental Emergency Regulations and Upcoming Final Regulations
In August 2019, the updated Environmental Emergency (E2 Regulations) will officially repeal and replace the existing Environmental Emergency Regulations. What exactly does this mean and how can you prepare now for updated E2 Regulations? We provide some details below. As we stated in October 2016, the E2 Regulations are, in principle, based on, and in response to, the 1984 disaster in Bhopal, India. That 1984 incident released 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate and resulted in the deaths of an estimated 11,000 people. Environmental Emergency...
read more“Green” Canada and Sustainability: 26 Targets Outlined by the Federal Government
While most everyone is familiar with efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), what is far less familiar is the federal government’s focus on the larger issue of sustainability. For background, see the Federal Sustainability Development Act. Making Canada One of the “Greenest Countries in the World” This ambitious sustainability plan was recently updated (13 March 2019). As stated in the report, it includes “…13 aspirational goals supported by measurable targets and clear actions. These are all aimed at realizing the vision that...
read moreReleases to the Environment, Hefty Fines, and Controversial Regulations
Attempts to create a safer workplace and reduce risks of releases are as old as mankind. The Code of Hammurabi from about 1750 BCE addressed building codes, and Lloyds of London’s first registry addressed safety and risk dating back to 1834. Today, we have entire disciplines devoted to reducing these risks. We also have laws and regulations with respect to chemical handling, management, and disposal. Through modern safety and risk management practices, we have greatly reduced human health and environmental risks. Companies spend a lot of...
read moreSupreme Court of Canada Decision on Environmental Liability will Impact Lenders
It was one year ago that we shared what we believed was an important case before the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC). See Supreme Court of Canada Considers Environmental Liability Case. We, along with others, suggested that this case had potentially far-reaching consequences. On January 31, 2019, the SCC handed down their much-anticipated decision in Orphan Well Association v. Grant Thornton Ltd. (“The Redwater Decision”). Redwater refers to Redwater Energy Corporation. This is a complex case with many legalities – we are simply touching on...
read moreCanadian Financial Institutions and the Paris Agreement: An Ambitious 3-Year Plan
I remember hearing an astrophysicist say that there are 76 quadrillion tons of biodeposits on the earth… coal, oil, natural gas, metals, etc. I’m not sure how accurate this number is, but I’ll take his word for it. These biodeposits play a key role in human civilization and allow life to flourish. They provide nutrients for plant growth which in turn feeds other animals. The plants provide life-giving oxygen and use carbon dioxide that is increasingly more abundant in the atmosphere. Too much of a good thing, however, can cause...
read moreEconomic Growth, Environmental Protection, and Proposed Legislation
In what is being called “Investing in Jobs for Canada’s Middle Class,” sweeping regulatory changes were proposed last fall (November 2018) in Ottawa by the Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau. Proposed Changes by Minister of Finance As reported on CTV News, “Delivering his speech on the fall economic statement in the House of Commons, Morneau (Minister of Finance) cited global uncertainty tied to ongoing trade disputes and spoke directly to the pressure to match U.S. President Donald Trump’s tax cuts, which he described as aggressive.” The...
read moreIt’s The Water, Stupid
Former U.S. President, William Jefferson Clinton, famously coined the phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid.” This phrase has been modified numerous times over the years, including “It’s the ecology, stupid” (Journal, Nature). The general premise of this phrase is focus on the fundamentals. With numerous issues involving water quality in Canada, as well as globally, it may be more appropriate to say that our (environmental) focus should be more narrow – our water. In fact, impacts to surface water continue to be a significant concern in...
read moreThe MECP Issues Their Environmental Protection Plans
According to Rod Phillips, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), the “Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generation, A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan,” is a “…clean break from the status quo.” According to Mr. Phillips, “We understand the pressure Ontarians feel with rising costs of living as well as skyrocketing energy costs that have hurt our economy and our competitiveness. They are understandably frustrated to see their hard-earned tax-dollars being put towards policies and programs that don’t...
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