As global demand for natural resources continues to grow, countries rich in those deposits are looking for ways to responsibly develop these resources. This demand and the increased trade pressures appear to be the impetus for recent proposed Ontario legislation. On April 17, 2025, the Ontario Government announced Bill 5, “The Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act 2025.” In a Technical Briefing by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, they state that the action is,...
Read MoreGlobal Politics and Green Initiatives
The political and policy changes in the United States (US) are having a ripple effect as they relate to global climate policies and green initiatives such as Environmental Social and Governance (ESG). How or will these changing policies affect Canada? From Environment and Energy Leader: “The 2024 U.S. election has introduced new uncertainties into global markets, with investors closely watching potential shifts in sustainability policies, trade relations, and climate...
Read MoreProposed Risk Management Approach for PFAS
As we reported in our July 25, 2024, blog, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued the “Updated draft state of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) report.” In March 2025, ECCC issued a notice: “Government of Canada publishes State of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Report and proposed Risk Management Approach.” The notice outlines the proposed approach to address PFAS. PFAS Background PFAS are a class of chemicals used worldwide for a...
Read MoreGrowing Federal Regulations and Recent Enforcement Developments
The number of federal environmental regulations continues to grow, and, in some cases, these regulations have substantial penalties for non-compliance. Some of these recent regulations include the deadline that recently passed for Mandatory PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) Reporting, the Plastics Registry Reporting that commences later in 2025, and the amendments to the Competition Act that will focus on environmental claims made in marketing and promotional...
Read MoreGuidance: Environmental Claims and the Competition Act
In our July 15, 2024, blog, we discussed Bill C-59 and the substantial changes to Greenwashing under the Competition Act. On December 23, 2024, the Competition Bureau released draft guidelines: “Environmental Claims and the Competition Act.” Comments close on February 28, 2025. Competition Act: Six Principles As stated in the draft guidance, while the Bureau does not tell businesses what they can or cannot say, “The Bureau has developed six high-level principles that...
Read More