Environmental protection has a price tag, as do environmental violations. This is not exactly news to anyone involved in environmental protection/management. Staying on the protection side and avoiding the violation side requires constant diligence. Providing tips and reminders regarding compliance/assessment/remediation is one of the goals of our blogs and our monthly environmental compliance tips. On occasion, we also share with you some of our observations on the...
Read MoreEnvironmental Liability in Ontario and “Big Environmental Litigation in 2017”
Environmental liability and environmental litigation were in the news again recently. Below we share our observations regarding a couple of these developments. Environmental Liability in Ontario The first observation relates to the question of Ontario’s policy related to addressing liability for impacted soil and groundwater. The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, Dianne Saxe, discussed the issue of “environmental policy” in the province about a year ago. As Ms. Saxe...
Read More2017 Reporting for Chemicals Management Plan
The reporting of chemical use, due later this year, will be the third inventory update (IU) (since 2009) of Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan (CMP). The IU is conducted in an on-going, cyclical manner, with reporting to the government every four years. Previously, Health Canada collected information on approximately 550 substances in 2009 and another 2,700 in 2012. In 2017, the IU will collect information on approximately 1,500 chemicals and polymers. The good news is...
Read MoreMOECC Changes the Permitting for Air, Noise, and Odour
For the regulated community in Ontario, the New Year has begun with an environmental regulatory change that specifically affects Air, Noise, and Odour permitting. According to the Government of Ontario, “This Regulation comes into force on the later of January 31, 2017 and the day it is filed.” The changes are spelled out in Ontario Regulation 1/17. The good news is, if your business is eligible, you may no longer be required to obtain an Environmental Compliance Approval...
Read MoreReport: Ontario’s Environmental Approval Process Not Managing Risks
The environmental approval program, according to the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, is, “…not effectively managing the risks to the environment and human health from polluting activities.” The annual report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on November 30, 2016. The report, which is two volumes with more than 800 pages, has “only” 40 pages focused on Environmental Approvals in Ontario. As related to the Environmental Approvals, the report...
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