Case Studies
Exploring Environmental Law Through Real-World Cases
Environmental law shapes how we protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land we share. But understanding how it works in practice requires more than reading legislation — it requires seeing the law applied to real situations, real communities, and real consequences.
Our Environmental Laws 101 case study series brings the law to life across five foundational topic areas:
The Canadian Constitution and Environmental Law — How does Canada’s division of powers shape who gets to make environmental decisions, and what happens when federal and provincial laws collide?
Environmental Justice — The story of Africville, Nova Scotia reveals how environmental harm has historically fallen hardest on marginalized communities — and why the fight for environmental justice is far from over.
Species at Risk — Canada’s caribou are iconic, threatened, and at the centre of an ongoing legal and political struggle. What does it actually take to protect a species under Canadian law?
Water Law — From fish habitat protections under the Fisheries Act to the fight to save the westslope cutthroat trout, water law in Canada is complex, contested, and critically important.
Toxins and Waste Law — Microbeads in our oceans. Pollution in our freshwater. What legal tools exist to address water contamination — and are they working?
Each case study is designed to deepen your understanding of how environmental law functions in Canada and where the gaps still exist.
Explore the case studies below and discover how the law connects to the environment around you.
Toxins and Waste Law
Water Pollution In 2020, the World Wildlife Fund released its second report on the study of Canada’s freshwater basins. This report found that pollution is one of the most significant
Water Law
Fish and Fish Habitat While the provincial government is assigned control of water management more generally, fish and their habitat fall under the federal government’s Fisheries Act. Specifically, this power
Species Law
An Ongoing Struggle to Protect one of Canada’s Most Iconic Species at Risk When you think of Canada and its wildlife, there are a few iconic animal species that might immediately
Environmental Justice
Africville, Nova Scotia: A little-known piece of Canadian history Africville was a small town in Nova Scotia, made up primarily of Black settlers, many of whom were former enslaved people,
The Canadian Constitution, the Charter and Environmental Law
What is the Division of Powers? On July 1, 1867, the first constitutional document, the British North America Act, was passed.. This Act, passed by the Parliament of the United