Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson tapped the brakes Thursday on the Vista coal mine expansion near Hinton with an announcement Ottawa will take a look at the environmental impact of the project after all. The same afternoon, the Alberta Government led by Premier Jason Kenney, which has never met a
Continue readingTag: Environmental Assessment
Alberta Politics: No more pipelines? Another day, another UCP talking point exposed as codswallop
Another day, another Alberta Government talking point exposed as codswallop. Yesterday, we compared and contrasted what the United Conservative Party Government used to say about the former NDP government’s carbon tax with reality. Viz., it was destroying the economy (UCP), versus, it effectively had no negative impact on the Alberta
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Let’s hope Andrew Scheer is right
The highly controversial (at least in Alberta and Saskatchewan) Bill C-69, which overhauls the federal environmental assessment process for major construction projects, has finally passed the Senate. The Conservatives are not amused. According to Andrew Scheer. “With the passage of Bill C-69, Justin Trudeau finally has his law that will
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Finally a common sense response to the emotionally charged CVRD zoning amendment
This should have been done as an element of the CVRD’s zoning amendment. Claims of risks, present and potential, need to be determined by the CVRD political representatives prior to determining whether the zoning efforts Read more…
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Expert Panel report on environmental assessment review – an overview
Wednesday, April 12, 2017 On April 5th, the federal government released the report of its Expert Panel that has been reviewing Canada’s environmental assessment (EA) processes. The report, Building Common Ground: A new vision for impact assessment in Canada, sets out a bold new vision of how the government should
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Will the Canadian government “restore lost protections” for navigable waters?
Tuesday, April 11, 2017 The Liberal Party of Canada was elected in part on the basis of a promise to restore lost environmental protections – including reviewing the “elimination of the Navigable Waters Protection Act” in order to “restore lost protections and incorporate more modern safeguards.” On March 23rd the
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Wresting authority from the regulators: The proper role of the National Energy Board in environmental assessments
Friday, March 31, 2017 It is not every day that we have an opportunity to effect transformative legal change. It is natural, then, that when last summer a number of cabinet ministers announced the review of four key federal environmental laws, West Coast Environmental Law – along with other lawyers,
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Review of federal environmental assessment processes: What happens next?
Thursday, February 9, 2017 Last December, the Expert Panel appointed by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to review federal environmental assessment (EA) processes completed its cross-Canada tour. With the panel wrapping up its consultations, many people are asking, what now? Staff Counsel Anna Johnston lays out some of
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Review of federal environmental assessment processes: What happens next?
Thursday, February 9, 2017 Last December, the Expert Panel appointed by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to review federal environmental assessment (EA) processes completed its cross-Canada tour. With the panel wrapping up its consultations, many people are asking, what now? Staff Counsel Anna Johnston lays out some of
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: 2017: A Look Ahead to Protect Nature, Climate and Communities
Thursday, January 5, 2017 Check out our short video to meet some of our talented lawyers and see what we're most excited about for 2017! From providing legal aid for communities to defend their environment, to revitalizing Indigenous laws, and holding fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in climate
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Your guide to Canada’s environmental law reviews
Thursday, November 10, 2016 In June 2016, the government announced a sweeping review of federal environmental laws – including Canada's environmental assessment (EA) law and processes, the Fisheries Act, Navigation Protection Act, and National Energy Board. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help shape Canada’s environmental laws and to contribute
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Faith restored? Kinder Morgan Ministerial Panel consultation wraps up
Thursday, October 20, 2016 The report from the Ministerial Panel on Kinder Morgan's proposed pipeline project is expected on November 1, 2016. This report will be considered by Federal Cabinet in its upcoming decision on the project, along with the upstream greenhouse gas analysis, the flawed National Energy Board report, and
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: A Review of the Review of Reviews: A Participants’ Guide to the Federal EA Review
Wednesday, October 19, 2016 In mid-September, an expert panel appointed by the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change (the Panel) launched a public review of Canada’s environmental assessment processes (the EA Review). While the Panel and its secretariat have attempted to broadcast how the public and Indigenous groups can
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Twelve pillars of a “next generation” of Canadian environmental assessment
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Canada needs a visionary new approach to assessing proposals that could …
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Twelve pillars of a “next generation” of Canadian environmental assessment
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Canada needs a visionary new approach to assessing proposals that could …
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Lessons from a summer at West Coast
Friday, August 12, 2016
West Coast Environmental Law Association was lucky to have four talented students join us this summer from law schools across the co…
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Lessons from a summer at West Coast
Friday, August 12, 2016
West Coast Environmental Law Association was lucky to have four talented students join us this summer from law schools across the co…
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: How will we build the next generation of environmental assessment for Canada?
Thursday, July 14, 2016
This June, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change announced that s…
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: How will we build the next generation of environmental assessment for Canada?
Thursday, July 14, 2016
This June, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change announced that s…
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Why navigation protection is also environmental protection
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
The Canadian government has announced that the House Standing Committee on T…
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