24 | LEXPERT • June 2019 | www.lexpert.ca/usguide
In February 2018, Bill C-69, which would amend two fed-
eral environmental acts, was introduced in Parliament; it
has now passed second reading in the Senate.
In January 2019, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled
that a bankrupt oil and gas company in Alberta had to
fulfill provincial environmental obligations before paying
its creditors. Along with a Federal Court of Appeal ruling
last August that insufficient consultation had been done
with Indigenous peoples in the construction of the Trans
Mountain Pipeline extension, the past year has seen notable
rulings – and possible legislative changes – affecting envi-
ronmental law in Canada.
"There's still a lot of uncertainty over how the environ-
mental assessment process will end up, as a result of Bill
C-69," says Shawn Denstedt, Vice Chair of Western Cana-
da at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, from his Calgary of-
fice. Denstedt travels extensively in his job, and particularly
in Asia, he finds that the outcome of this process is a hot
topic for potential investment in Canada.
"What will the regulatory system look like? And how
Bill C-69:
The Impact on
Business Ventures
THE PASSING OF BILL
C-69 WILL BRING
ABOUT SIGNIFICANT
CHANGE. COULD
IT BE TOO MUCH
AT ONE TIME?
BY ELIZABETH RAYMER
Environmental
PHOTO:
SHUTTERSTOCK
