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 […]
News & Posts
Establishing Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas: The Jurisdictional Spectrum
by Yalda Mousavi Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) are gaining international traction. By recognizing the long-standing relationships of care and responsibility between Indigenous Peoples and their territories, they are redefining how we envision and create protected areas. The We Rise Together Report by the Indigenous Circle of Experts defines IPCAs as “lands and […]
It’s past time to act on environmental racism
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 […]
Trespassing on the Right to Housing: A human rights analysis of the City of Toronto's response to encampments during COVID-19
This report reviews the legal dimensions of Toronto’s approach to encampments during the first three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and measures the City’s response to encampments against its human rights obligations to encampment residents as specified in international and domestic law, the National Housing Strategy Act, and A National Protocol for Homeless Encampments in […]
Class Actions: Tools for Environmental Justice? Drinking Water in Indigenous Communities
Class Actions: Tools for Environmental Justice? Drinking Water in Indigenous Communities Panel Discussion October 27, 1230-2 p.m. via Zoom Join the Environmental Justice and Sustainability Clinic for a panel discussion on the potential to use class actions as a tool to achieve environmental justice. The panel will consider the ongoing class action launched by […]
Recording: Indigenous-Led Conservation in Ontario
On October 13th we were excited to host a panel discussion on Restructuring our Relations: Legal and Policy Dimensions of Indigenous-Led Conservation in Ontario and Beyond. The panel explored the various intersections that exist between environmental and cultural preservation, and Indigenous jurisdiction. For those who were not able to attend or want to watch the […]
Indigenous-Led Conservation in Ontario & Beyond
We are excited to be hosting a panel discussion on Restructuring our Relations: Legal and Policy Dimensions of Indigenous-Led Conservation in Ontario and Beyond. The panel will explore the various intersections that exist between environmental and cultural preservation, and Indigenous jurisdiction. Join a leading group of lawyers and scholars to learn more about the key concepts […]
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 […]
