A PDF version of this newsletter is found on the Canadian Environmental Law Archive website; click here to open it in a new tab.
Clean Air. Everywhere.
Where you live in Ontario should not determine how much pollution you breathe.
Yet under the province’s current air pollution regulations, some communities – often low-income or Indigenous – are exposed to far higher levels of harmful pollution than others. This is not an accident. It is the predictable result of a regulatory system that manages pollution facility-by-facility instead of protecting people from cumulative harm.
This is especially true of the communities in and around Ontario’s industrial hubs, with facilities sometimes permitted to emit airborne contaminants thousands of times higher than provincial standards and little consideration given to the cumulative effects.
CELA has created a new series of community profiles, highlighting how cumulative air pollution is unfairly impact four regions in Ontario.
High-Level Risk in Revell Lake Area: The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is proposing to store high-level radioactive waste in the Revell Lake area near Ignace, Ontario, and a federal Impact Assessment process has been initiated. If approved, this would be the first ever Deep Geological Repository (DGR) in Canada. CELA recently submitted comments on behalf of its client, We the Nuclear Free North, on the inadequacy of the proponent’s Initial Project Description. Read more on our website.
Proposal to Build New Nuclear Station at Wesleyville: Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is proposing to build Ontario’s largest nuclear facility in Wesleville, Ontario, and a federal Impact Assessment process has been initiated. CELA recently submitted comments on the Initial Project Description, on behalf of our clients Durham Nuclear Awareness and Slovenian Home Association. CELA and its clients are arguing that this project is premature for an environmental assessment because OPG has provided almost no information about what type of nuclear power they are planning for the site. Different nuclear technologies bring different risks in terms of accidents, types of radioactive emissions, ability to prevent sever damage, how to plan for emergencies, and different types of radioactive nuclear waste. Read more on our website.
Radioactive Mine Waste: CELA appeared at the Federal Court of Appeal earlier this month along with Blaise Law and our client, local homeowner Lisa Speck. CELA argued that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has jurisdiction over uranium mine waste rock that has been moved off of licensed uranium mining sites in the Elliot Lake area and used as fill on residential properties. Uranium mine waste can cause indoor radon levels to rise and can expose residents to radiation above regulatory limits. Unfortunately, the appeal was denied.
Law Reform Updates
Comment Period: ArcelorMittal Dofasco is seeking a renewal of its environmental compliance approval for its steel operations in Hamilton. The posting on the Environmental Registry of Ontario does not contain sufficient information, and CELA requested and received additional documents. The comment period has been extended and now closes on March 12, 2026. Areas of concern about the facility include local air pollution, transparency, and expiry of site specific standards many years ago.
Sulphur Limits in Gasoline: The federal government sets regulations for Sulphur levels under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and recently proposed amendments that would extend the use of a Sulphur credit system for facilities who have not yet been able to meet the target levels. CELA submitted comments, urging the government to retract the proposed amendments.
Bill C-61: The federal government has indicated its intention to re-introduce legislation for the protection of First Nations drinking water. CELA sent a letter to Prime Minister Carney, reiterating the integral role of source water protection for First Nations drinking water systems.
Resources
New Blog: Ontario’s Special Economic Zones Act allows certain projects to bypass environmental assessments and regulatory approvals. New regulations grant broad discretionary powers to Cabinet and Ministers, raising serious concerns about transparency, Indigenous rights, and long-term environmental harm. Read the full blog here.
Webinar: Filling the Gaps – Environmental Health Knowledge Mobilization Resources & Strategies for Prenatal Care Date: Wednesday, March 4, 12:00–1:00 PM ET Register here
Hosted by the Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and the Environment (CPCHE), this webinar will present findings from a national scan of environmental health educational resources, highlight tools currently in development, and invite discussion on how these resources can better support preconception and prenatal care.
Event: Healthy Yards – Conversations about Air and Noise Pollution Date: Monday, March 2, 6:00-8:00pm ET Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology Historic Site, 900 Woodward Ave.
CELA will be in Hamilton on March 2nd, alongside the Ward 4 team, talking about air pollution. It’s an opportunity to hear from speakers and talk with neighbours about our concerns and find out what we can do.
Public Legal Education: CELA staff made a number of presentations this past month. Executive Director Theresa McClenaghan spoke to CFUW Brantford on the “Future of Environmental Law in Canada”, and also participated in Northwatch’s fourteenth annual webinar series about nuclear waste in Canada.
As part of a Toronto Atmospheric Foundation funded project on building equity into building emissions performance standards, counsel Jacqueline Wilson spoke at a Climate Caucus webinar, attended by municipal elected officials across the country.
From the Foundation
February Feature: This month’s feature from the Canadian Environmental Law Archive is a 1992 guide produced by Great Lakes United, titled “Guide to Pollution Prevention in Your Community”. The purpose of the guide was to help citizen advocates create and improve the environmental practices of industry and government in the Great Lakes Basin.
February 2026 Newsletter – Intervenor, Volume 53, Number 2
A PDF version of this newsletter is found on the Canadian Environmental Law Archive website; click here to open it in a new tab.
Clean Air. Everywhere.
Where you live in Ontario should not determine how much pollution you breathe.
Yet under the province’s current air pollution regulations, some communities – often low-income or Indigenous – are exposed to far higher levels of harmful pollution than others. This is not an accident. It is the predictable result of a regulatory system that manages pollution facility-by-facility instead of protecting people from cumulative harm.
This is especially true of the communities in and around Ontario’s industrial hubs, with facilities sometimes permitted to emit airborne contaminants thousands of times higher than provincial standards and little consideration given to the cumulative effects.
CELA has created a new series of community profiles, highlighting how cumulative air pollution is unfairly impact four regions in Ontario.
Case Updates
High-Level Risk in Revell Lake Area: The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is proposing to store high-level radioactive waste in the Revell Lake area near Ignace, Ontario, and a federal Impact Assessment process has been initiated. If approved, this would be the first ever Deep Geological Repository (DGR) in Canada. CELA recently submitted comments on behalf of its client, We the Nuclear Free North, on the inadequacy of the proponent’s Initial Project Description. Read more on our website.
Proposal to Build New Nuclear Station at Wesleyville: Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is proposing to build Ontario’s largest nuclear facility in Wesleville, Ontario, and a federal Impact Assessment process has been initiated. CELA recently submitted comments on the Initial Project Description, on behalf of our clients Durham Nuclear Awareness and Slovenian Home Association. CELA and its clients are arguing that this project is premature for an environmental assessment because OPG has provided almost no information about what type of nuclear power they are planning for the site. Different nuclear technologies bring different risks in terms of accidents, types of radioactive emissions, ability to prevent sever damage, how to plan for emergencies, and different types of radioactive nuclear waste. Read more on our website.
Radioactive Mine Waste: CELA appeared at the Federal Court of Appeal earlier this month along with Blaise Law and our client, local homeowner Lisa Speck. CELA argued that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has jurisdiction over uranium mine waste rock that has been moved off of licensed uranium mining sites in the Elliot Lake area and used as fill on residential properties. Uranium mine waste can cause indoor radon levels to rise and can expose residents to radiation above regulatory limits. Unfortunately, the appeal was denied.
Law Reform Updates
Comment Period: ArcelorMittal Dofasco is seeking a renewal of its environmental compliance approval for its steel operations in Hamilton. The posting on the Environmental Registry of Ontario does not contain sufficient information, and CELA requested and received additional documents. The comment period has been extended and now closes on March 12, 2026. Areas of concern about the facility include local air pollution, transparency, and expiry of site specific standards many years ago.
Sulphur Limits in Gasoline: The federal government sets regulations for Sulphur levels under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and recently proposed amendments that would extend the use of a Sulphur credit system for facilities who have not yet been able to meet the target levels. CELA submitted comments, urging the government to retract the proposed amendments.
Bill C-61: The federal government has indicated its intention to re-introduce legislation for the protection of First Nations drinking water. CELA sent a letter to Prime Minister Carney, reiterating the integral role of source water protection for First Nations drinking water systems.
Resources
New Blog: Ontario’s Special Economic Zones Act allows certain projects to bypass environmental assessments and regulatory approvals. New regulations grant broad discretionary powers to Cabinet and Ministers, raising serious concerns about transparency, Indigenous rights, and long-term environmental harm. Read the full blog here.
Webinar: Filling the Gaps – Environmental Health Knowledge Mobilization Resources & Strategies for Prenatal Care
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 12:00–1:00 PM ET
Register here
Hosted by the Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and the Environment (CPCHE), this webinar will present findings from a national scan of environmental health educational resources, highlight tools currently in development, and invite discussion on how these resources can better support preconception and prenatal care.
Event: Healthy Yards – Conversations about Air and Noise Pollution
Date: Monday, March 2, 6:00-8:00pm ET
Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology Historic Site, 900 Woodward Ave.
CELA will be in Hamilton on March 2nd, alongside the Ward 4 team, talking about air pollution. It’s an opportunity to hear from speakers and talk with neighbours about our concerns and find out what we can do.
Public Legal Education: CELA staff made a number of presentations this past month. Executive Director Theresa McClenaghan spoke to CFUW Brantford on the “Future of Environmental Law in Canada”, and also participated in Northwatch’s fourteenth annual webinar series about nuclear waste in Canada.
Julie Mutis presented about lead service line removals hosted by the Ontario Municipal Wastewater Association.
As part of a Toronto Atmospheric Foundation funded project on building equity into building emissions performance standards, counsel Jacqueline Wilson spoke at a Climate Caucus webinar, attended by municipal elected officials across the country.
From the Foundation
February Feature: This month’s feature from the Canadian Environmental Law Archive is a 1992 guide produced by Great Lakes United, titled “Guide to Pollution Prevention in Your Community”. The purpose of the guide was to help citizen advocates create and improve the environmental practices of industry and government in the Great Lakes Basin.
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