With newly acclaimed Chair, Sebastian Ennis of Iris Legal, the Environmental Law Section has been busily planning meetings for 2023.

In February, the Section welcomed Luke Dineley and Executive member Jon Chatten to provide an overview of the new soil relocation regime under the Environmental Management Act and Contaminated Sites Regulation as well as practical advice for lawyers advising industrial clients.

In April, the Section plans to shed light on recent “greenwashing” complaints to the federal Competition Bureau, with expert speakers Calvin Sandborn, KC from the University of Victoria’s Environmental Law Centre (ELC) and Andhra Azevedo of Ecojustice. ELC and Ecojustice’s complaint against Keurig regarding claims about its “K-cups” resulted in a $3 million penalty, and Ecojustice and others have recently brought a complaint against Royal Bank of Canada regarding advertising about its commitments to climate action.

May will bring a deep dive into the law of de facto expropriation following the Supreme Court of Canada’s recent decision in Annapolis Group Inc. v. Halifax Regional Municipality. The Section will be joined by Rebecca Jones, counsel for Annapolis.