More Thinking About Smith v Inco

The Government of Canada has amended regulations under the Impact Assessment Act to streamline environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects, particularly interprovincial pipelines. These changes shift regulatory responsibility for certain energy projects to the Canada Energy Regulator while removing other project types from federal review following the Supreme Court's 2024 constitutional ruling.

Dianne spoke last month at the annual Canadian Water and Wastewater Association "Window on Ottawa", on potential risks to municipalities of the new Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations under the Fisheries Act, expected to appear shortly in the Canada Gazette.

Yesterday, the Federal Government announced changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act to exempt various projects funded under the Building Canada Plan from federal environmental assessment ("EA") requirements.

Here is Dianne’s presentation to the Canadian Bar Association Mid-winter meeting in Halifax, on Contaminated Site Litigation after Inco.

The Registry has been crucial to supporting public participation in environmental decision making in Ontario for nearly two decades.

The Ministry of Transportation ("MTO") is taking a closer look at what motivates the decisions Ontarians make about how they travel from city to city.

Ontario's Environment Industry Association wrote a thoughtful and helpful comment on the City of Toronto's proposed Policy for Accepting Potentially Contaminated Lands to be Conveyed to the City under the Planning Act.

Canadian governments and producer-responsibility organizations are refining extended producer responsibility programs across the country, affecting packaging, batteries, electronics, and hazardous products. Recent regulatory changes include expanded collection obligations, adjusted compliance timelines, and new enforcement measures, with significant developments in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic provinces.

On September 3, 2026, amendments to Canada's Physical Activities Regulations came into force, removing several project categories from federal Impact Assessment Act oversight and consolidating review authority with the Canada Energy Regulator. These changes eliminate overlapping federal review processes for international and interprovincial pipelines, electrical transmission lines, and certain energy facilities, aiming to streamline major project approvals while raising questions about Indigenous

Today, the federal government announced that it has accepted Alberta's new Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction ("TIER")

Dianne spoke last month at the annual Canadian Water and Wastewater Association "Window on Ottawa", on potential risks to municipalities of the new Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations under the Fisheries Act, expected to appear shortly in the Canada Gazette.

Canada's federal government has announced a $3.5 billion rapid response support package in anticipation of retaliatory tariffs against the United States, introducing new temporary employment insurance measures and workforce retention programs. The package extends EI benefits, waives waiting periods, and creates funding opportunities for employers to retain and retrain workers rather than implement large-scale layoffs.

Here is Dianne’s presentation to the Canadian Bar Association Mid-winter meeting in Halifax, on Contaminated Site Litigation after Inco.

Recent amendments to Ontario's freedom of information laws have sparked controversy by creating exceptions for ministerial records, while the federal government introduces sweeping privacy legislation...

The Registry has been crucial to supporting public participation in environmental decision making in Ontario for nearly two decades.

The Ministry of Transportation ("MTO") is taking a closer look at what motivates the decisions Ontarians make about how they travel from city to city.

Ontario's Environment Industry Association wrote a thoughtful and helpful comment on the City of Toronto's proposed Policy for Accepting Potentially Contaminated Lands to be Conveyed to the City under the Planning Act.

Class actions can be a way to hold large companies to account when their products fall short of quality standards or pose risks to consumers. Class actions can also be a route to recovery if a manufacturer fails...

Ontario is implementing major changes to auto insurance accident benefits starting July 1, 2026, shifting most coverage from mandatory to optional. Income replacement, caregiver benefits...

An application has been filed in Quebec to obtain authorization to institute a class action concerning the drugs Mounjaro, Trulicity, and Zepbound, alleging that the widely used diabetes and weight-loss medications...