On October 17, 2024, Ontario’s Court of Appeal sided with a group of young climate activists in its Mathur v Ontario decision, reviving a case against the province which was previously dismissed in April 2023.
Ontario Ag-Gag Law Declared Partly Unconstitutional
Explained: Ontario’s Greenbelt Scandal
Amidst embarrassing revelations of procedural irregularities and ethics violations, both Ontario’s Housing Minister and his Chief of Staff have resigned in quick succession, while the RCMP ponders launching a formal investigation into their conduct. We explain what happened in Ontario’s Greenbelt privation scandal and why.
Ontario Superior Court Dismisses Youth Climate Action Climate Case
On April 14th, Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice dismissed the climate action case Mathur v. Ontario, in which seven youth plaintiffs alleged that Ontario’s lacklustre 2018 climate plan, adopted following Doug Ford’s election to premier, violates the Charter rights of today’s youth and future generations.
Ontario Passes Controversial "Affordable Housing" Bill
Though the Ford government claims the law is intended to spur affordable housing construction, opposition parties and civil society groups have criticized the bill as primarily benefiting real estate developers exacerbating urban sprawl, degrading energy efficiency standards, and scraping away much-needed municipal revenue.
Ontario Proposes Changes to Industrial Carbon Pricing Program
Last month, Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks proposed amendments to the Emissions Performance Standards program that regulates industrial greenhouse gas emissions in the province. The proposed program amendments aim to ensure it remains in compliance with the federal government’s carbon pricing benchmark standards for 2023-2030.
Ontario Election 2022: Comparing Parties’ Climate Plans
With the writ dropped for Ontario’s 2022 election on June 2, voters must decide what the next four years of provincial environmental policy will look like. To assist, we’ve outlined some of the key features and differences between the four major parties’ climate and environment plans, and provided a short analysis to illustrate what’s good, what’s bad, and what’s missing in each party’s proposal.
Ontario Quietly Updated Its Climate Plan
Ontario to Develop Clean Energy Credit Registry
Although Ontario’s grid is exceedingly clean by North American standards, deriving 94% of its electricity from non-emitting sources like wind, hydro, and nuclear, a clean energy credit registry could help businesses meet quantifiable emission reduction goals and boost ESG credentials by allowing certified clean energy purchases from the grid.
Ontario Strips Conservation Authorities' Power with Controversial Bill 229
Ontario’s recent omnibus Bill 229, ostensibly directed at addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences, contains provisions which effectively strip Ontario conservation authorities of certain permitting powers, redirecting them to the Ministry of Natural Resources and other public bodies.