There have been many policy changes during this COVID-19 pandemic. These changes affect many aspects of our personal and professional lives. As it relates to provincial environmental policies, there is a wide-range of responses. The summary below is very brief, and we suggest that you evaluate how changes in provincial policies may affect your environmental obligations. Ontario: The Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks announced changes under the...
Read MoreLingering Environmental Issues and Some Remediation Progress
While environmental headlines may tend to focus on the issue du jour (PFAS, plastics, microbeads, etc.), we still have plenty of older, unresolved environmental issues that require our attention. However, we have made some significant progress along the way. Old Sewer Systems There was another reminder about the problems we continue to have with infrastructure, specifically our aging sewers and outdated combined sewer overflows (CSOs). 24-Billion-Litre Spill over Four...
Read MoreMaintaining Your Environmental Obligations During Difficult Times
What are Canadians concerned about as we are dealing with COIVD-19? According to Statistics Canada, 84% of us are concerned about overloading the healthcare system and 54% are concerned about the health of a loved one. However, we are being proactive. 92% of us are washing our hands more frequently and 87% are maintaining social-distancing requirements. Environmental Obligations Remain If you are in charge of environmental compliance/management, you may have other...
Read MoreFinancial Institutions Put Pressure on Environmental Programs
There are many environmental laws and regulations that apply to a variety of activities at companies. These laws may require filing for permits with local, provincial, or federal regulators. Laws and regulations apply to everyone. From local ordinances that may dictate the height of a fence on your property to speed limits on roads, we are required to be aware and comply with laws. Enforcement from Regulators We routinely report in our blogs about various environmental...
Read MoreEnvironmental Preparations for Construction-Related Projects in Ontario
Much of the world seems to have come to a complete standstill. We all share a singular priority – stop the spread of COVID-19. For nearly everyone, this means there is no business as usual. Some are working at home, some are experiencing layoffs, and everyone has experienced drastic changes to every imaginable aspect of life. While we continue to work on projects, we do so with a great deal more caution to protect everyone from this pandemic. While we don’t know when...
Read MoreEnvironmental Health and Safety Issues in the News
Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) issues have all been in the news of late. Dominating the health part of EHS is the Coronavirus, or COVID 19, which is currently a significant challenge for companies and governments worldwide. Infectious diseases aside, there were other EHS items in the news recently. Hydrogen Cyanide Release As recently reported in a couple of different publications, Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, had a release of hydrogen cyanide that...
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