Canada

In the midst of the recent and long-awaited announcement of the new Quebec mining royalties regime, the government also announced that it intends to adopt measures aimed at improving environmental protection and increasing transparency as it relates to mining activities.

Various landowners residing in Clearview Township, County of Simcoe, brought an action against WPD Canada Corporation and Beattie Brothers Farms Limited in order to prevent the construction and operation of an 18.4 MW industrial wind farm.

A discussion on Québec's intention to secure an additional block of 800 MW of wind power capacity.

On February 16, 2013, draft Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, setting out necessary details for a new enforcement tool in the form of administrative monetary penalties.

After nearly eight months of uncertainty, the Québec government finally unveiled its new mining tax regime during a press conference held on May 6, 2013.

The Québec government has recently revealed its long-awaited mining royalty and tax regime in an official document titled "A New Mining Tax Regime: Fair for All,"

Ontario’s Minister of Energy, Bob Chiarelli, has recently sent a letter to both the Ontario Power Authority and the Independent Electricity System Operator requesting that both organizations work together to develop recommendations for a new integrated regional energy planning process.

The World Trade Organization has released its official ruling on Canada’s Appeal regarding Ontario’s Green Energy Act and its Feed-in Tariff program.

The Québec Minister of Finance and the Economy, Nicolas Marceau, with the Québec Minister of Natural Resources, Martine Ouellet, have recently made public the new mining tax regime for Québec, a fiscal measure that will apply to an operator’s fiscal year that begins after December 31, 2013.

An amendment to the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act has been approved by the Senate and is currently before the House of Commons.

Over the past few years, mining companies have become increasingly aware of the potential civil and criminal liability arising from the payment of bribes to foreign government officials.

In a recent judgment by the Court of Québec which may raise a few eyebrows, an investigator hired by an employer to inquire into psychological harassment complaints was ordered to pay an alleged harasser moral damages for pain and suffering.

On March 28th, Québec Environment minister Yves-François Blanchet announced that the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) will hold public hearings on the uranium sector in Québec.

In Lameman v. Alberta, 2013 ABCA 148, the Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by the Crown in Right of Alberta ("Alberta") and the Attorney General of Canada ("Canada") from a decision of the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench refusing to strike portions of the Statement of Claim of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation ("BLCN").

The media reported yesterday that the European Parliament has rejected an attempt to raise the costs of emitting greenhouse gases in a contentious 334-315 vote.

Utilities, energy providers, trade associations and other entities participating in or supporting the energy sector will be impacted by Canada's new Anti-Spam Legislation.

It is common practice amongst mining law practitioners in Quebec to consider that the registration of a hypothec against a mining claim at the Register of Real and Immovable Mining Rights (known as "Gestim" and hereinafter referred to as the "Mining Registry") is sufficient to render such hypothec opposable against third parties.

Utilities, energy providers, trade associations and other entities participating in or supporting the energy sector will be impacted by Canada’s new Anti-Spam Legislation.

The Canadian Environment Assessment Agency (the "Agency") has issued a Public Notice regarding proposed amendments to the Regulations Designating Physical Activities, SOR/2012-147 (the "Regulations").

The central importance of electricity distribution is often overlooked as attention is focused on the promise of shale gas generation, the renaissance of nuclear power or the growth of wind, solar and other forms of renewable generation.