Author: Julia Brown A recent decision from the Supreme Court of British Columbia on mineral exploration may be useful to Indigenous peoples in Ontario arguing that they are entitled to deeper consultation and accommodation in the context of early mineral exploration activities. In Gitxaala v British Columbia (Chief Gold Commissioner) (“Gitxaala”), the Court was asked […]
News & Posts
Protection through Partnership: To Meet the UN’s 30x30 Target, Canada Should Look to International IPCA Models for Guidance
Authors: Kirti Vyas, Bridget Allen O’Neil, Angela Dittrich Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assured journalists at the fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that Canada will meet its “25 by 25 target.” Protecting 25 percent of Canada’s lands and oceans by 2025 is a promising step towards the more ambitious international goal of […]
Ontario Must Commit to Doing Cumulative Impact Assessment in the Ring of Fire to Uphold Its Treaty No.9 Promises
Authors: Kameron Faridani, Sawyer Fobert, and Jeremy Korb Introduction A 2021 court decision from British Columbia sets a precedent that should give Ontario pause. It establishes a precedent that likely means Ontario needs to systemically assess the cumulative impacts that developing the Ring of Fire (“ROF”) will have on Aboriginal and treaty rights. Yahey v […]
Upstream Threats to a New IPCA Announced at COP15
Osgoode’s Environmental Justice & Sustainability Clinic student Lo Stevenson also attended the Conference of the Parties (COP15) for the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal last month. In Lo’s recent blog, they argue that area-based conservation should proceed at the watershed level to protect critical habitats from upstream effects: As negotiations draw to a close […]
COP15: 'Kick Out Environmentalists and Industry': Small Scale Fisheries, Conservation Economies, and Human Rights in the Convention of Biological Diversity
In Emma’s complimentary blog after attending COP15 for the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal, she discusses the tension between environmental goals and economic goals, alongside the need for conservation economies in the context of the Convention of Biological Diversity: Environmental goals regularly bump up against the realities of economic demand and governmental pushes for […]
COP15: Article 8(j) and Quality vs Quantity in 30x30
Osgoode’s Environmental Justice & Sustainability Clinic student Emma Workman attended the Conference of the Parties (COP15) for the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal last month. In Emma’s recent blog, she examines Indigenous Peoples’ role in achieving area-based conservation goals around 30x30: At the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), […]
Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands: How the Gitanyow Are Protecting the Land through their own Laws
By Sheren Kamaei For millennia, the Gitanyow Nation have exercised their legal authority (also known as “Ayookxw”) to protect and manage the land, air, water, and resources of their Lax’yip (also known as territories). These territories span 55,000km² in the Nass River Watershed, Upper Kitwanga River, and Upper Kisiox River. The Constitution of the Gitanyow […]
The Underbelly of the Beast: Financing of Fossil Fuel Industry
By Gwenyth Wren Image Source: The Guardian In recent years there has been increasing intense scrutiny of high emitting industries, such as fossil fuel corporations, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, to effectively get to the root of the problem we need to turn our attention to another set of actors who are […]
An Inconvenience Truth - RJR MacDonald, and the Rubber-Stamping of “Public Interest”
One hopes the “public interest” includes the interests of encampment residents. Instead, the courts define parks as spaces for leisure activities, and judge municipal governments by their bylaw’s intentions, not by their effects. By Nikolas Koschany Disclaimer: The following post contains images which some may find disturbing. Figure 1 – An encampment in Toronto’s Moss […]
Better Cover Your Ash
Conflicts in protecting the Black Ash with Bill 108 By Rebecca Murray Background: On June 6th, 2019, the Conservative-led Ontario government passed the More Homes, More Choice Act, AKA Bill 108. This bill was promoted as a response to the housing affordability crisis facing the province. It made a number of amendments to various different […]
