BC Government Releases a BC Coal Industry Overview 2011
Click here to view the report which was released by the Ministry of Energy and Mines on March 2^nd.

Canadian Electricity Association Calls for Regulatory Efficiency
We at the Canadian Electricity Association have publicly raised, many times, that our electricity sector faces a complex challenge over the next two decades. In order to meet Canada's increasing demands for electricity, we must invest in electricity infrastructure. That means renewing, replacing and adding to the generating stations and power lines that power the economy. According to the Conference Board of Canada, we must invest almost $300 billion, or about $15 billion per year, if we are to maintain reliability, make our power supply even cleaner, and adopt advanced technologies. It's also essential that electricity remain not only affordable for consumers, but a competitive advantage for Canada.

Right now, Canada is in the enviable position of having average power rates that are below those of most countries. This helps drive our economic development, and allows our communities to prosper. If we are to successfully renew our electricity system, however, we must improve our ability to make timely decisions on what, where and how to improve the system. It comes down to improving our decision-making structure by increasing regulatory efficiency. Click here for the full story as reported by Jim Burpee with Globe-Net.

Alberta Hopes to Make Oilsands Pipeline Worth the Risks for BC
BC undertakes all the risk and bother of getting the oilsands bounty to market while Alberta scoops the billions in benefits? The question arises as Alberta Premier Alison Redford steps up efforts to promote the oilsands as a national asset, yielding gains for the entire country.

That notion sparked a tiff earlier this week between Redford and Ontario's Dalton McGuinty who complains the strong petro dollar resulting from a booming oilsands industry is hurting his province's manufacturing sector, making the goods produced more expensive and discouraging export markets.

For BC, the issue is entirely different, relating mainly to construction and operation of pipelines across the province's turf, and tanker ports to transport the crude to United States and Asian markets.

It should be noted that Redford is quite correct; both BC and Ontario do benefit substantially from the Alberta resource. According to the Calgary-based Canadian Energy Research Institute, Ontario is the province that will benefit most other than Alberta. Read more.

Provincial Forest Plan Needed to Ensure Forests for Future Generations
Auditor General John Doyle has released his latest report, An Audit of the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations' Management of Timber.

Nearly two-thirds of British Columbia's 95 million hectares is forested. These forests contribute to employment, tourism and recreational opportunities, as well as generate significant revenue for government to finance public services. However, trends indicate that the future availability of timber will be smaller and less diverse, putting future revenue opportunities at risk. Stewardship responsibility for these forest resources lies with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.

"Industry is legally obligated to reforest the areas it harvests, and it does so," says Doyle. "But government, which is responsible for over 90 per cent of British Columbia's forests, and whose reforestation decisions have a significant impact on our future forests, is not clear about its own commitments."

The audit found that the ministry has not clearly defined its timber objectives and, as a result, cannot ensure that its management practices are effective. Furthermore, existing management practices are insufficient to offset a trend toward future forests having a lower timber supply and less species diversity in some areas. Finally, the audit found that the ministry does not appropriately monitor and report its timber results against its timber objectives. Read the full article from ForestTalk.

Avatar Grove to be Protected
A grove of giant, old-growth trees near Port Renfrew, which has brought thousands of visitors to the area over the last two years, will be protected by the province.

Avatar Grove, a unique stand of centuries-old Douglas firs and red cedars, will be included in an expanded, 59-hectare old-growth management area, Forests Minister Steve Thomson said Thursday.

That means no logging or mining, but is one step short of the legislated protection of park designation. Surrey-based Teal-Jones Group, which holds logging rights for the area around Avatar Grove, is being compensated with 57 hectares removed from other old-growth management areas. Read more.

Environmental Class Actions
Harper Grey LLP Lawyers: Lindsay Johnston
Residents of a small town in Northern Ontario launched a class action in 2001, seeking damages for diminished residential property value due to the stigma of nickel contaminants found in soil. The case evolved over 10 years, and the Ontario Court of Appeal ultimately set aside a $36 million award to the claimants. The reasons? Environmental damages need to be proven with concrete evidence – the inability to produce hard, scientific evidence of harmful effects, to prove that land was not used in an exceptionally dangerous manner while the refinery was in operation and to gauge public perception based on facts, not hearsay, all worked against the claimants in the end. Harper Grey's Lindsay Johnston summarizes the implications of this case in the following article: Class Actions and Contaminated Land: Smith v. Inco Limited, ONCA 628.