What We Do

We  are all rightly concerned about the environment. We want to be sustainable and we worry about climate change and pollution.

At the same time,  the burden of environmental regulation is heavy and the potential for liability is great. Companies in particular, recognize the need to manage their legal and reputational risk in this area. Manning Environmental Law works at the interface between the environment and the law to help clients manage that risk.

We cover the full range of environmental legal work, including contaminated land litigation and advice; defence to government enforcement orders and prosecutions; difficult approval applications; appeals to tribunals; and advice on compliance, transactional and liability issues.

Our tribunal work includes appearances before the Environmental Review Tribunal, the Ontario Energy Board and the Ontario Municipal Board. Although most of the work we do is for industrial and other business clients, we are proud that our energy regulatory work has frequently seen us representing, Aboriginal groups, unions and other not-for-profit clients.

Contaminated Land, Waste and Water

We advise clients on liability, represent them in litigation and defend them in enforcement action and prosecution. We help them negotiate appropriate obligations in real estate and corporate transaction documents

Approvals

We help clients obtain approvals including negotiation with regulatory authorities and, where necessary, appealing to the tribunals and the courts.

Enforcement

We defend clients against enforcement action and prosecution by environmental and other regulatory authorities.

Compliance

We advise clients on compliance with environmental regulation and approvals. 

Planning

We represent clients as counsel in appeals to planning tribunals.

Municipal

We act for municipalities and others on  a wide range issues relating to the powers and duties of municipalities

Energy 

We help clients negotiate and  comply with power purchase agreements (including Ontario’s Feed-in-Tariff), obtain approvals and comply with regulatory requirements.

We advise clients on a wide range of issues concerning renewable energy, cogeneration and energy from waste.

We advise clients on energy regulation and represent  them as as counsel before energy regulatory tribunals.

Climate Change

With climate change regulation imminent in several Canadian provinces, and perhaps at federal level, we help companies anticipate and prepare for the benefits and burdens of climate change regulation.

Sustainability

If sustainable development is doing more than the law requires, there should be no place for a lawyer. However, we advise clients on a wide range of issues where their voluntary effort impacts or is impacted by legal requirement.

Aboriginal

We advise on the law relating to the rights of Aboriginal peoples, including consultation and accommodation.  We appear as counsel in tribunals on Aboriginal law issues.