The 2012 federal Budget Bill is out. Once again it will change environmental laws in ways not directly related to government spending or savings. The bill is certain to pass, so why all the supporting rhetoric? If anything, zealous arguments in favor of a sure...
There is significant rhetoric around how the federal and provincial governments have duplicative and therefore inefficient environmental assessment processes. The federal government has fully bought in on it and has indicated its intent to remove itself from many environmental assessments. I for one find the duplication...
Last week, the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development issued its report entitled Statutory Review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act: Protecting the Environment, Managing our Resources. The report contains 20 recommendations which are ostensibly designed to “streamline” the federal environmental assessment process. It should...
Following on the heels of a disappointing process for the seven-year review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (“CEAA”), core principles for environmental assessment laws have been endorsed by numerous environmental groups across Canada. The core principles for environmental assessment are: 1. adopt sustainability as the core...
There is a mantra that I hear all too often in reference to environmental management. “We can’t manage what we don’t measure.” While I agree, it seems to be me that we rarely measure enough to make truly informed decisions, and things are getting worse....
The Environmental Law Centre recognizes that the environment is a public good that must be protected. The Environmental Law Centre’s Strategic Plan 2012-2015 references several core environmental principles that are required for strong and effective environmental laws, policies and legal processes. These core principles are: sustainability, precautionary...
A comprehensive review of the provisions and operation of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) was due to be conducted in 2010 (by section 32 of Bill C-9: An Act to Amend the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act). With a late start, the review began in...
The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development released a report yesterday covering the federal government’s climate change plans and cumulative environmental effects assessment of oil sands projects. The Commissioner identifies several significant deficiencies in federal environmental management. On the climate change side the Commissioner notes...
The Establishing Timelines for Comprehensive Studies Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act were recently published in the Canada Gazette. These timelines apply to all Comprehensive Studies under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act except where the responsible authorities are the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission or...
News Release For immediate release 24 May 2011 Enbridge Northern Gateway Project Joint Review Panel invites the public to attend information sessions CALGARY - The Joint Review Panel (Panel) conducting the review of the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Project (Project) invites the public to attend information sessions. The purpose of the information...
Are you confused about how recent changes in Environmental Assessment law will affect your practice? Can we expect federal Environmental Assessments to be conducted differently now? Join Laura Bowman, Staff Counsel at the Environmental Law Centre of Alberta on April 19th to find out what...
By Laura Bowman Staff Counsel Given all of the recent reports on the Oilsands released late last year, including the Royal Society report (RSC), the Liberal report, the NDP report, the report released through the Pembina Institute on behalf of various environmental groups, and the most recent...
