News & Publications Results

Concerns over global climate change have sparked a series of legislative and policy responses on the provincial, federal, regional, and international levels. Governments have invoked a number of different policy tools to respond and adapt to these concerns. This bulletin provides a brief update on current legislative and policy initiatives in selected jurisdictions.

On March 5, 2010, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority closed the $825 million purchase from Teck Metals Ltd. of a 1/3 interest in Teck’s 493 megawatt Waneta Dam in south-eastern British Columbia.

Lawson Lundell partners Brad Armstrong, Q.C. and Heather Cane, assisted by Diana Valiela (associate counsel), successfully represented Red Chris Development Co. Ltd. in a decision of the Supreme Court of Canada upholding the environmental assessment of the Red Chris mine under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

As of January 1, 2010, “single facility operations” and “linear facilities operations”, located in British Columbia and emitting 10,000 tonnes or more of greenhouse gases (GHGs) per year will be required to register with the Ministry of Environment (MOE), collect emissions data, and report their GHG emissions.

On September 23, 2008, the Western Climate Initiative (“WCI”) released its Design Recommendations for the WCI Regional Cap-and-Trade Program, intended to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions (including carbon dioxide and five other gases commonly considered carbon dioxide equivalents), encourage growth in new green technologies, help build a strong clean-energy economy and reduce dependence on foreign oil.

Concerns over global climate change have sparked a series of legislative and policy responses on the provincial, federal, regional, and international levels. The challenge of complying with climate change policy is that different governments have invoked a number of different policy tools to respond and adapt.

A discussion of three recent decisions in the Yukon Supreme Court, the Federal Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and their impact on the duty to consult and accommodate Aboriginal peoples; the environmental assessment of a proposed mining project; and Aboriginal title and rights.

On February 27, 2007 British Columbia issued "The BC Energy Plan: A Vision for Clean Energy Leadership". The document is an extensive statement of provincial energy policy, and a roadmap for future government action in BC's energy sector.

New Federal Plan for Kyoto Commitment Implementation.

On March 24, 2005, Bill C-43 was tabled in the House of Commons. Parts 13, 14 and 15 of Bill C-43 contain federal government measures for implementation of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Kyoto Protocol came into force on February 16, 2005.

The federal government has introduced the first phase of a multi-phased plan intended to harmonize the current greenhouse gas emission reporting systems of Federal, provincial and territorial governments.