Environmental Deregulation in Ontario: 1996-2000
Collection of analyses and commentary on environmental deregulation by the government in Ontario
As soon as they were elected in the Spring of 1995, Ontario's new conservative government began to systematically dismantle 30 years worth of environmental protection measures. Laws and regulations were eliminated or weakened and massive funding cuts were made to environmental protection programs, government staff, monitoring and enforcement measures. A significant aspect of the legislative changes included reductions or elimination of public participation opportunities and access to information. The tainted water tragedy in Walkerton, Ontario, although the result of many factors, was directly linked to the effects of this deregulation juggernaut.
CELA responded to many of these changes, either during the often cursory public consultation that was conducted on legal and policy changes, or in media releases or other popular and academic writing. Many of these publications are listed below although many publications produced from 1995 and into early 1997 were not created for on-line publication. They can be browsed in the publications list and ordered in print from the CELA office.