New regulations under CEAA 2012 came into force on October 24, 2013, changing the triggers for determining which projects are subject to federal environmental assessment. The Regulations Amending the Regulations Designating Physical Activities replace the Schedule of physical activities that constitute designated projects under the existing Regulation, and ...
Castonguay Blasting Ltd. v. Ontario (Environment), 2013 SCC 52 is the latest Supreme Court of Canada decision to confirm the expansive approach courts may take to the interpretation of environmental protection legislation.
During the course Castonguay’s blasting operations for a highway-widening project, rock debris known as “fly-rock” was accidentally ...
On May 17, 2013 the Supreme Court of British Columbia released its decision in David Suzuki Foundation v. British Columbia (Ministry of Environment), 2013 BCSC 874. The case concerned Holmes Hydro Inc.’s plans to build hydroelectric plants on 10 tributaries of the Holmes River. The issue was whether the plan required environmental assessment under section 5 of the ...
The Government of Alberta has announced that it is holding public consultations as part of its process to develop the new regulations under the Responsible Energy Development Act. These regulations will set out the details regarding how the new Alberta Energy Regulator will function in practice. The Calgary session will take place on February 25, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to ...
On December 10, 2012, the Responsible Energy Development Act (“REDA”) received royal assent. Under REDA, the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board and certain regulatory functions of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development will be replaced with a new single provincial regulator for all oil, gas, oil sands and coal projects in the ...
In previous posts we discussed several major changes to the federal environmental assessment process that were introduced when the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (“CEAA 2012”) came into force in July 2012.
In November 2012, we delivered two seminars on the new environmental assessment process. The seminars were very well attended, and many attendees ...
On November 30, 2012 the federal government denied approval for the EnCana Shallow Gas Infill Development Project in the Suffield National Wildlife Area (the “Project”), due to the likelihood of significant adverse environmental effects.
The federal environmental assessment (“EA”) for this Project was first commenced on October 26, 2005. The Joint Review ...
On October 24, 2012, the Government of Alberta introduced Bill 2: the Responsible Energy Development Act (“REDA”). If enacted, REDA will establish a single energy regulator and create a new regulatory framework for energy resource projects in Alberta.
The Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (“LARP”) came into effect on September 1, 2012 and is the first of seven regional plans to be released under the Alberta Land Stewardship Act. The LARP establishes the new cumulative effects approach to be used in the Lower Athabasca region and provides valuable insight as to how Alberta’s oil sands resources will be managed in the ...
B.C. Environment Minister Terry Lake and Energy, Mines and Natural Gas Minister Rich Coleman refused to issue an Environmental Assessment Certificate (“EAC”) to Pacific Booker Minerals Inc. for its proposed Morrison Copper/Gold Mine project near Smithers. The decision by Ministers Lake and Coleman is in accordance with the recommendation of the Executive ...
About Us
Lawson Lundell's Environmental, Indigenous and Natural Resources Blog focuses on environmental, indigenous and natural resources law, as well as related litigation. Included are summaries of significant cases from Canadian appellate courts, changes in the legal framework governing resource development including energy and climate change policy, and key decisions from the more influential regulatory bodies in Canada.
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