• Carney government asks court to strike down climate litigation

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-08-29 08:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Environment, Climate, Justice, Governance]

  The federal government filed a motion in the Federal Court to strike down an environmental lawsuit brought by three youth and two advocacy groups, which demands that Ottawa amend its climate plan under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. The government argues in its legal submissions that the statute uses the permissive word "may" rather than "shall," imposing no legal obligation to update emissions targets or plans, and that federal courts lack the institutional capacity to direct national climate policy. The lawsuit challenges recent Liberal government rollbacks and policy changes that eliminated key measures required to achieve Canada's legally binding 2030 emissions reduction targets.

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• Ontario and Canada Celebrate Successful Restoration of Nipigon Bay

  Source: Ontario - Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
  Date: 2026-08-28 19:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Environment, Climate, Indigenous, Fisheries]

  The Governments of Ontario and Canada have officially removed Nipigon Bay from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern after nearly 40 years of cleanup work under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health. The restoration efforts—which included upgraded wastewater treatment in the Township of Nipigon and Township of Red Rock, stricter pulp and paper industry regulations, and aquatic habitat rehabilitation—spanned a nearly 50,000-acre area including the lower Nipigon River. Since the late 1980s, the Government of Ontario has invested nearly $25.5 million (including over $17 million since 2018), while the federal government has contributed more than $12 million since 2012 alongside total partner investments of $68 million. The milestone project was achieved through collaborative efforts involving local partners and First Nations, including the Red Rock Indian Band, Lakehead University, and local community groups.

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• Protecting Chinook salmon in Bessette Creek with temporary order

  Source: British Columbia - Government News
  Date: 2026-08-28 19:00:00.0
  Tags: [British Columbia, Environment, Water, Agriculture, Fisheries]

  Effective August 28, 2026, the Government of British Columbia issued a fish population protection order under the Water Sustainability Act for the Bessette Creek watershed in the Thompson Okanagan region due to persistent severe drought and record-low streamflows. The temporary order halts water use for 131 surface-water and groundwater licence holders and transitioning users engaged in forage crop irrigation, crop harvesting, processing ore, and other water-intensive industrial activities to protect endangered Chinook salmon. The Province offers support through the Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program—which has invested $120 million since 2023 across more than 700 producer projects—alongside the $285.5-million B.C. Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund.

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• New Brunswick gives green light for 500 MW gas plant, subject to conditions

  Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
  Date: 2026-08-28 15:29:11.0
  Tags: [New Brunswick, Energy, Environment, Infrastructure]

  The New Brunswick government has granted conditional approval for the 500-megawatt Renewables Integration Grid Security natural gas plant in Tantramar, N.B., built by U.S.-based ProEnergy. NB Power has secured a 25-year contract to utilize the facility—which features 10 refurbished jet turbines running on the Maritimes and Northeast pipeline—to prevent rolling blackouts and backstop weather-dependent renewables. Environment Minister Gilles LePage stated that ProEnergy must comply with 45 strict conditions covering air and water quality monitoring, emergency management, and wildlife tracking, with the plant restricted to burning natural gas no more than 17 per cent of the time. Additionally, Nova Scotia's energy operator has entered into a 10-year agreement to purchase 100 megawatts of power from the facility, which is scheduled to begin operations by 2028.

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• Environmental Assessment Bulletin

  Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
  Date: 2026-08-28 11:55:10.0
  Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Environment, Resources, Infrastructure, Mining, Agriculture]

  The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador's Department of Environment, Conservation and Climate Change announced environmental assessment decisions under Part 10 of the Environmental Protection Act. The Department of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands registered the Crown Zone 3 Five-Year Operating Plan (2027-2031) covering commercial and domestic timber harvesting, silviculture, and road construction across Forest Management Districts 4, 5, 6, and 8 (Reg. 2432). Additionally, 44980 NFLD Inc. registered a 3.64-hectare peat moss quarry project off South Branch Road in Happy Valley-Goose Bay to supply topsoil (Reg. 2431), with public comments due by October 2, 2026, and a ministerial decision due by October 11, 2026. The White River Hay Company project (Reg. 2426) was released from environmental assessment, and NordSpace Atlantic Corporation met compliance conditions for the St. Lawrence Spaceport Complex (Reg. 2375) regarding a Targeted Vegetation Survey for Species at Risk, a Women's Employment Plan, and Newfoundland Power electrical grid integration.

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• Provincial state of emergency ends, wildfire risk remains

  Source: British Columbia - Government News
  Date: 2026-08-27 22:25:00.0
  Tags: [British Columbia, Emergency, Public Safety, Environment]

  The Government of British Columbia ended the provincial state of emergency, which was initially declared on August 8, 2026, on the advice of emergency management officials. The cancellation has no impact on existing local states of emergency, evacuation orders, or evacuation alerts issued by local governments or First Nations. Statutory powers for response and resource coordination continue to be provided through the Wildfire Act and the Emergency and Disaster Management Act. Despite the provincial state of emergency ending, elevated wildfire risk persists due to ongoing warm and dry conditions, and the Province retains the authority to declare a new state of emergency if required.

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