CELA

CELA is a non-profit specialty legal aid clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario

We work to protect human health and our environment by seeking justice for those harmed by pollution and by working to change policies to prevent such problems in the first place. We provide free legal services to people and groups across Ontario.

CELA Foundation

CELA Foundation

The CELA Foundation supports CELA’s research and educational work on environmental law and justice issues through extensive resources available to the public and in support of the environmental law and policy community. The Foundation also helps CELA mentor and train the next generation of environmental lawyers.

CELA FOUNDATION

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CELA counsel

CELA counsel represent Ontario residents and community groups who qualify for legal aid

Representation occurs in the courts and before tribunals on matters of environmental law. CELA’s lawyers have achieved some of the most important environmental law victories and precedent-setting cases in Canada.

CASEWORK PROFILES

2022 Annual Report

2022 Annual Report

This year, we’re excited to showcase CELA’s accomplishments in a new way. In our 2022 Annual Report, you’ll see a series of stories highlighting the critical litigation, law reform, and legal education work CELA does to protect human health and the environment on behalf of vulnerable and low-income communities.

Our Legal Services

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Public Legal Education

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Advancing Environmental Law

Action on Environmental justice

CELA's Latest Activities

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

Blog: Update on Standing Committee on Nuclear Waste Governance

Update on report from Standing Committee Environment and Sustainable Development on nuclear waste governance.

November 30, 2022

Blog: The Value of Public Participation

Bog post by communications intern Sahara Mehdi on the value of public participation.

November 30, 2022

Blog: Bill 23 Passed… What Happens Next?

Bill 23 was passed by the Ontario legislature this week. What happens next?

November 29, 2022

MZOs: A Barrier to Access to Environmental Justice

CELA is working to inform the public about the drawbacks of MZOs, while encouraging law reform in order to ensure

November 28, 2022

Testimony on Bill S-5, An Act to Amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA)

CELA has provided their testimony before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environmenta and Sustainable Development on Bill S-5

November 24, 2022

Transparency requirements on chemicals in plastics will support the effectiveness of the Plastic Treaty

NGOs are calling on countries to ensure the Plastic Treaty includes ambitious, binding and harmonized requirements for transparency of information

November 23, 2022

Casework: Judicial Review of Bill 197 - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020

On behalf of several environmental organizations and individuals, CELA sought a judicial review in Divisional Court of the statutory decision by two Ontario Cabinet Ministers that denied our clients and other members of the public their legal right to be notified and consulted on environmentally significant legislative amendments contained in Bill 197 (COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020) before they were enacted by the Ontario Legislature on July 21, 2020. These amendments include changes to the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA), the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) and the Planning Act.

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

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.