Expertise

Client Work

Freeworld Coatings Purchases Worldwide Rights to Biodegradable Coating Removal Products

Counsel to Freeworld Global in its purchase of worldwide rights to environmentally friendly biodegradable coating removal products from Napier Environmental.  More

Cirque du Soleil in New Partnership with Dubai World

Acted for Cirque du Soleil in the acquisition of a 20% stake by Istithmar World and Nakheel, units of Dubai World.  More

Basell Sells its Corunna Site to Shell Chemicals

Counsel to Basell Canada in connection with the sale of certain assets to Shell Chemicals Canada.  More

Shell Canada Sells Quebec Thermoshell Interests to Chauffage P. Gosselin

Represented Chauffage P. Gosselin in its purchase of Shell Canada's Thermoshell residential, commercial, and agricultural heating fuels business in Quebec.  More

Ogilvy Renault Represents Hochschild Mining plc in $64.6 Million Deal

In connection with its $64.6 million strategic investment in Lake Shore Gold Corp. for a 19.9% equity interest. The deal included rights to increase to a 40% fully diluted equity interest.  More

Acklands-Grainger Purchases Excel F.I.G.

Represented AGI in its purchase of Excel F.I.G, a distributor of industrial supplies in the area of Granby, Quebec.  More

Ogilvy Renault Represents the Shareholders of Thibodeau Group of Companies

TransForce Income Fund completed the acquisition of all of the shares of Groupe Thibodeau inc., a privately held company headquartered in Portneuf, Quebec.  More

Publications

A Heightened Focus on Environmental Claims: Some Things You Should Know

Andrew Taylor examines how the parameters listed in the CSA's second edition of Environmental Claims: A Guide for Industry and Advertisers could impact the way companies market their products.  More

Passport for Business - Fall 2008

Cross-border business and issues with a distinctly Canadian perspective.  More

Guidelines on Environmental Claims Serve as Reference for Companies

Andrew Taylor explains the legal implications on product claims relating to environmental friendliness.  More

Passport for Business - Summer 2008

Cross-border business and issues with a distinctly Canadian perspective.  More

Notice to Industries that have Reduced their Greenhouse Gas Emissions Between 1992 and 2006

All businesses included in the various classes of industries contemplated in the Federal Government's Greenhouse Gas Regulatory Framework and that would be entitled to claim early action credits, should file a 'Notice of Interest' by July 28, 2008.  More

Heightened Focus on Environmental Claims

To assist industry and advertisers in complying with Canadian legislation and national/international standards, the CSA recently released the second edition of the special publication Environmental Claims: A Guide for Industry and Advertisers.  More

Canadian Government Takes Action on Bisphenol A

On April 19, 2008, Environment Canada and Health Canada recommended that the industrial chemical bisphenol A ("BPA") be classified as "toxic" under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 ("CEPA").  More

OSC Releases Notice on Environmental Reporting Obligations

On February 28, 2008, the Staff of the Ontario Securities Commission released a Staff Notice on Environmental Reporting, which sets out the most thorough guidance to date on environmental disclosure for reporting issuers.  More

New Requirements for Air Emissions Reporting by Canadian Companies

Following the announcement of the Regulatory Framework for Air Emissions, the Government of Canada has published a notice which will allow it to collect information that is essential to the development of the proposed industrial air emissions regulations.  More

Court of Québec holds that there is no minimum threshold for purposes of reporting environmental spills

On December 6, 2007, Mr. Justice Michel Boissonneault of the Court of Québec (District of Roberval) handed down his decision in Procureur général c. Transport Doucet & Fils Mistassini inc. (in French only),[1] dismissing the argument that there exists...  More

New Obligations for Quebec Enterprises to Report Emissions of Contaminants into the Atmosphere

The new Regulation respecting mandatory reporting of certain emissions of contaminants into the atmosphere requires Quebec enterprises to henceforth report atmospheric releases of certain contaminants.  More

Ogilvy Renault Annual Review 2006

2006 was an exciting year for our clients, lawyers and agents. We are particularly proud of our client-focused approach to providing service-a perspective clearly appreciated by those we serve.  More

Recycling of Residual Materials: New Obligations for Companies in Quebec

Does your company make products that require packaging? Do you have a business in Quebec that produces or distributes containers, packaging or printed matter?  More

Canadian Businesses Will be Affected by the New European Regulatory Framework for the Management of Chemical Substances

On December 18, 2006, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted a regulation and a directive establishing the REACH system and setting up the European Chemicals Agency. REACH oversees the registration, evaluation and ...  More

Canada's New Air Emissions Reductions Plan

On April 27, 2007, the federal government released its Regulatory Framework for Air Emissions which is intended to significantly reduce greenhouse gases and other air pollutants (together "air emissions") in Canada.  More

Canada's New Chemical Management Plan

In December 2006, the federal government introduced Canada's new Chemical Management Plan (the "Plan"), intended to improve the degree of protection in Canada against chemicals that are considered hazardous to the environment and human health.  More

Canada's Offset System, A Creative Response to the Kyoto Protocol

The Government of Canada is in the process of developing a Canadian offset system for greenhouse gases (GHGs), as envisioned in its 2005 Climate Change Plan.  More

Canada's Large Industrial Corporations Soon To Be Regulated Under the Kyoto Protocol

On April 13, 2005, the federal government made public its updated implementation plan for the Kyoto Protocol, which was ratified by Canada on December 17, 2002.  More

Major Reforms Proposed for Environmental Offences in Ontario

On October 27, 2004, the Ontario Government introduced Bill 133 (the Environmental Enforcement Statute Law Amendment Act, 2004) for first reading.  More

Supreme Court Confirms Ministerial Powers in the Area of Soil Decontamination

In a judgment handed down on October 30, 2003,1 the Supreme Court of Canada established certain rules that will make it easier for Quebec's Environment Minister to exercise his authority in regard to the characterization and rehabilitation of ...  More

The Quebec Government Introduces A New Contaminated Land Bill

In December 2001, the Quebec Minister of the Environment, the Honourable André Boisclair, introduced Bill 72, entitled An Act to amend the Environment Quality Act and other legislative provisions with regard to land protection and rehabilitation.  More

The Supreme Court of Canada Recognizes Broad Powers of Municipalities

On June 28, 2001, the Supreme Court of Canada handed down a unanimous judgment in 114957 Canada Ltée v. Hudson in which it found that a municipal by-law prohibiting the use of pesticides fell within the ambit of the general regulatory powers conferred...  More

Media Highlights

Trading in Carbon Has Legal Future

With the establishment of the Montréal Climate Exchange, Jean Piette of our Environmental team talks to the Financial Post about the carbon futures trading trend.  More

Gare à votre passé environnemental

Jean Piette explains in les Affaires the main factors regarding a company's environmental history.  More

Big Guns Go Green

Andrew Taylor and Jean Piette share Ogilvy Renault's plans for sustainable development and how establishing the firm's Cleantech team is integrated with our new green policies.  More

Greening Your Product? Be Sure the Label Backs it Up

Companies must now be more specific than ever when advertising their environmental ways in order to comply with Canadian Standards Association Environmental Claims guidelines.  More

Ogilvy Renault Partners with MCeX: Canadian Trade in Carbon Credits Begins

Launched on May 30, 2008, the MCeX is Canada's first regulated environmental market.  More

OSC Signals Environmental Liability Disclosures are Serious

Rick Sutin is quoted in Law Times as he offers his view on the Ontario Securities Commission's recent staff notice on environmental liability reporting.  More

Companies Embrace Climate of Compliance

Jean Piette is quoted in the National Post's Green Report addressing carbon trading in today's business landscape.  More

Businesses, Professionals Shift Focus to Environment

Jean Piette is quoted in The Gazette addressing carbon trading in today's business landscape.  More

Jean Piette's expertise in environmental law recognized abroad once again

Jean Piette was re-elected as a member of the International Council of Environmental Law (ICEL) for a two-year term.  More

Ogilvy Renault represents Bowater Incorporated in merger with Abitibi-Consolidated Inc.

Ogilvy Renault, LLP acted as Canadian legal adviser to Bowater Incorporated (NYSE: BOW) in connection with its merger of equals with Abitibi-Consolidated Inc.  More