A recently proposed federal bill could lead to the development of a national strategy to address environmental racism. But a quicker path to urgently needed reform might already exist. by Matthew Green What is environmental racism? In Canada, it looks like the ongoing failure to remediate the Wabigoon River in Grassy Narrows First Nation, where […]
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Climate Litigation in Canada: Trajectories and Trends
Panelists address the varying success of the recent youth climate Charter challenges in Canada, with an overview of Mather, La Rose, and Enjeu; the Likhts'amisyu Wet'suwet'en Charter challenge; the Beaver Lake Cree cumulative impacts case; legal tactics that have worked in other countries; and more. Co-hosted by MES/JD program and the Osgoode Environmental Justice and […]
First Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritized for First Nations, but is it Enough?
By: Jin Xu Due to the forward thinking of many First Nations communities shutting their gates at the first signs of the COVID-19 crisis back in early summer of 2020, these communities managed to contain the virus. However, once winter arrived, the combination of COVID-19 being more virulent in the winter due to dry air […]
Policing poverty and public space during COVID-19
By: Lauren Graham The environmental justice movement addresses the need for equitable access to environmental services. Environmental services are often defined in reference to the spaces where we live, work, and play. Therefore, access to public space is an environmental justice issue. Disparate access to public lands has had a significant impact on low-income communities […]
Climate Change Lawsuits Are Here. Are You Ready?
This past March, the Environmental Justice & Sustainability clinic partnered with the York Research Chair in Environmental Law and Justice to present a free event on climate change lawsuits. Climate change lawsuits are proceeding in many jurisdictions and have begun to achieve major victories. This is an important area of the law for both public interest […]
Cutting through the static: Understanding Ontario’s Electricity Prices
By Jennifer Evola The high cost of electricity has recently re-emerged as a hot-button issue in Ontario, with headlines like “Ontario electricity has never been cheaper, but bills have never been higher” and “Why does Ontario’s electricity cost so much?”. Premier Wynne has been called on to reduce ever-increasing electricity rates, among a slew of […]
Sipping Pumpkin Spice Lattes in Summer Clothes: Disrupting Complacency About Climate Change
By Sarah Jane Attardo It was an early October weekend when I scurried outside with my jacket in hand heading towards the closest Starbucks to acquire my coveted seasonal beverage – a pumpkin spice latte. While in line, a sudden realization dawned upon me: it was a very agreeable 18°C outdoors and yet here we […]
How Can We Deal With Microplastics?
By Peter Little Why should we care about microplastics? What are microplastics? The name itself gives a pretty good indication, as microplastics are simply tiny pieces of plastic. Microplastics are generally considered to be smaller than 5 millimeters and can come in a variety of shapes. The term microplastics is popping up more often because […]
Indigenous jurisdiction over the environment in next-generation federal environmental assessment
By Jacqui Hebert In 2012, Steven Harper’s Conservative government “streamlined” the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) to promote “responsible resource development”. Critics said the amendments created a “carte blanche” for big energy companies and put a stranglehold on public participation. Under current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change has been […]
Creating Space for Environmental Justice: The importance of Youth Participation
By Pearl Lee Today, about 1.8 billion young people (aged 10 to 24) make up one quarter of the world’s population. These are the people who will be the decision makers of the future, shaping the way that our social, political, and economic structures tackle environmental issues. Yet too many of these youth still grapple […]
