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Environmental Progress at Lake Simcoe
Tracing the roots of environmental protection, we can point to early efforts in the 1800s and early 1900s such as establishing the Canadian Forestry Association in 1900,.but it was in the 1960s and 1970s when the framework for our current environmental protection was established. Environment and Climate Change Canada was founded in 1971 then referred to as the Department of the Environment. Since this time, we have seen an increased focus on environmental protection. It is easy to lose sight of the progress we have made over the past 50...
read more“Weakened Environmental Rules,” COVID, and a Strengthening Economy
2020 was a year like no other. COVID led to changes in just about every aspect of our lives, including how regulators enforced environmental rules. Not that enforcement is currently on holiday, but we do expect more attention on environmental matters as the economy recovers. “Weakened Environmental Rules” A recent study from the University of Calgary looked at “weakened environmental rules” under the pandemic. The author noted that “across Canada, the most common moves were to defer fees or extend timelines for reporting requirements. Few...
read moreProposed updates to Records of Site Condition – Part 2
On January 4, 2021, the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) posted three proposals on the Environmental Registry of Ontario (for Records of Site Condition). The proposals were posted for comments from Qualified Persons (QPs), municipalities, and stakeholders. The comment period for these documents is open until April 4, 2021. We are again looking at just a portion of the 82-page document. For details, see Records of Site Condition: A Guide on Site Assessment, the Cleanup of Brownfield Sites. On March 10, 2021, we...
read moreProposed updates to Records of Site Condition Part 1: Excess Soils
On January 4, 2021, the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) posted three proposals on the Environmental Registry of Ontario. The proposals are open for comments from Qualified Persons (QPs), municipalities, and stakeholders until April 4, 2021. The three documents, listed below, provide guidance to support the brownfields program. Proposed updates to Records of Site Condition: A Guide on Site Assessment, the Cleanup of Brownfield Sites and the Filing of Records of Site Condition (RSC Guide) Proposed updates to the...
read moreEnvironmental Policies and Pipelines
Environmental issues affect just about every aspect of our lives and our economy. And when your largest trading partner lives next door, their environmental policies can significantly impact your life – some more than others. While the relations between Canada and the US have their ups and downs, in general we are friendly neighbours and trading partners. One area where there has been some recent strife involves pipelines, including Keystone XL Pipeline. On his first day in office, US President, Joseph Biden signed an Executive Order (EO)...
read more2021 Environmental Enforcement News in Canada is Underway
Environmental Enforcement news in Canada has kicked off 2021 with a significant penalty. The events that led to the settlements below occurred a few years ago, but the settlements happened in 2021. $675,000 Settlement Environment and Climate Change Canada reports, “On January 21, 2021, the Compagnie d’Arrimage de Québec Ltée pleaded guilty in the Court of Quebec in the District of Québec to one count of contravening the Fisheries Act. The company was fined $100,000. In addition to the fine, the Court ordered the company to pay an amount of...
read moreEnvironmental Release to Air and Issues with Odours
An article from last summer discusses why environmental management is a great educational/career path this way, “You can change the world for the better.” That’s a nice sound bite for university recruiting, but perhaps a bit idealistic. Nowhere in university recruiting material are you likely to find them promoting the often mundane reporting requirements, limited budgets with increased responsibilities, or the headaches when, despite your best efforts, you have to deal with an issue that has unfortunately, grabbed the community’s attention....
read moreEnvironmental Contaminants Measured in Canadians
In our environmental site assessments, we evaluate chemicals (in soil, water, and air) based on regulatory standards established by the provincial or federal government. These limits are established based on what is protective of human health and the environment. Canadian Health Measures Survey Looking, specifically, at the human health aspect is the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). This survey, among other things, tests humans (blood and urine) for certain environmental contaminants. The CHMS is a national survey that is led by...
read moreOntario Auditor General Report and Environmental Targets and Monitoring
The focus of our blogs, environmental compliance tips, webinars, etc…is typically on the nuts and bolts of environmental compliance, assessment, and remediation. Occasionally, we look at the bigger picture issues because they may eventually have some bearing on the nuts and bolts issues. One of those big picture issues is a look at the annual report from the Auditor General of Ontario. You may recall that since 1994 the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO) had acted as the “environmental watchdog” in Ontario. Premier Ford eliminated...
read moreConstruction Activity May Benefit from Proposed Changes to Water Taking
The Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) is proposing amendments to Ontario Regulation 63/16 to allow a greater number of “low risk, short-term water-taking activities” to register on the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry (EASR) instead of obtaining a Permit to Take Water (PTTW) or Environmental Compliance Approval. In the Discussion Paper provided by the MECP they state, “These amendments include introducing low risk pumping tests with well understood impacts as a new prescribed activity for registration on the...
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