CELA

Canadian Environmental Law Association is a legal aid clinic dedicated to environmental equity, justice, and health.

Founded in 1970, CELA is one of the oldest environmental advocates for environmental protection in the country. With funding from Legal Aid Ontario, CELA provides free legal services relating to environmental justice in Ontario, including representing qualifying low-income and vulnerable or disadvantaged communities in litigation. CELA also works on environmental legal education and reform initiatives.

CELA Foundation

Canadian Environmental Law Foundation

The CELA Foundation is the charitable arm of Canadian Environmental Law Association. The Foundation was established in 1993 and supports CELA’s research and education work on environmental law and justice issues.

CELA FOUNDATION

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Air Quality

Air Quality Issues in Ontario

Air pollution is a major source of harm to human health and the environment. Ontario needs to set and enforce strong standards for local air quality in order to protect people from being exposed to air pollution.

Climate Change

Climate Change and Vulnerable Communities

The impacts of climate change are deeply unfair. Low-income people in Canada are least responsible for the devastating impacts of climate change but most impacted by them. CELA has new resources on extreme heat, flooding, and more.

Our Legal Services

How can we help?

Public Legal Education

Learn about the law

Advancing Environmental Law

Action on Environmental justice

CELA's Latest Activities

Discover staff blog posts, publications, reports, alerts, and media releases.

July 2023 Bulletin

New resources to help communities fight climate change impacts on vulnerable people, and updates on Elliot Lake case and near-surface

July 31, 2023

Submission re: Carbon Black Industry Standard

CELA has submitted comments in response to ERO #019-6492, a proposal for a technical standard for the carbon black sector.

July 26, 2023

Concerns about Poor Air Quality in Hamilton

CELA and Environment Hamilton sent a letter to Ontario Premier Ford to express their concerns about air quality in Hamilton.

July 26, 2023

Blog: Environmental Justice a Key Pillar in National Adaptation Strategy

CELA’s reflections on the the Government of Canada’s final version of the National Adaptation Strategy.

July 26, 2023

Media Release: Families from Elliot Lake take nuclear regulator to court over refusal to order clean up of radioactive mine waste rock

Families from Elliot Lake take nuclear regulator to court over refusal to order clean up of radioactive mine waste rock

July 26, 2023

Blog: Faces of CELA, Lindsay Dixon

Q&A with CELA articling student Lindsay Dixon

July 26, 2023

Casework: Proposed Near-Surface Disposal Facility at Chalk River

In 2016, the privately-owned Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) proposed a Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF) for their Chalk River site. The NSDF is required to undergo a federal environmental assessment (EA) under the legislation that was in place at the time, specifically the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA). The CNSC must issue a decision statement under section 54 of the CEAA as to whether the designated project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

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Canadian Environmental Law Association
1500-55 University Avenue,
Toronto, Ontario
M5J 2H7

info (at) cela.ca

1-416-960-2284
1-844-755-1420

This site contains general legal information for Ontario, Canada. It is not intended to be used as legal advice for a specific legal problem.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.