R. v. Hydro-Québec, (1997) 217 N.R. 241 (SCC)

• Judge: Cory, McLachlin, Iacobucci and Major, JJ.
• Court: Supreme Court (Canada)
• Case Date: September 18, 1997
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (1997), 217 N.R. 241 (SCC);118 CCC (3d) 97;9 CR (5th) 157;1997 CanLII 318 (SCC);151 DLR (4th) 32;217 NR 241;[1997] 3 SCR 213

R. v. Hydro-Qué. (1997), 217 N.R. 241 (SCC)

MLB headnote and full text

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

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Temp. Cite: [1997] N.R. TBEd. SE.002

The Attorney General of Canada, acting for and on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen (appellant) v. Hydro-Québec (respondent) and The Attorney General of Quebec (mis en cause) and The Attorney General for Saskatchewan, IPSCO Inc., Société pour vaincre la pollution inc. ("S.V.P."), Pollution Probe, Great Lakes United (Canada), Canadian Environmental Law Association and Sierra Legal Defence Fund (interveners)

(24652)

Indexed As: R. v. Hydro-Québec

Supreme Court of Canada

Lamer, C.J.C., La Forest,

L'Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier,

Cory, McLachlin, Iacobucci and Major, JJ.

September 18, 1997.

Summary:

Hydro-Québec was charged with unlaw­fully releasing more than one gram per day of chlorobiphenyls (PCBs) into the environ­ment contrary to s. 6(a) of the Chloro­biphenyls Interim Order, P.C. 1989-296, adopted pursuant to ss. 34 and 35 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (Can.). Hydro-Québec was also charged with failing to report the situation to an inspector as soon as possible, contrary to s. 36(1)(a) of the Act. Hydro-Québec pleaded not guilty and brought a motion to have s. 6(a) of the Interim Order and ss. 34 and 35 of the Act declared unconstitutional as being ultra vires the powers of the federal Parlia­ment.

The Court of Québec granted the motion and declared the challenged provisions un­constitutional. The Attorney General of Canada appealed.

The Quebec Superior Court dismissed the appeal. The Attorney General of Canada appealed again.

The Quebec Court of Appeal, in a judg­ment reported 67 Q.A.C. 161, dismissed the appeal. The Attorney General of Canada appealed.

The Supreme Court of Canada, Lamer, C.J.C., Iacobucci, Sopinka and Major, JJ., dissenting, allowed the appeal.

Constitutional Law - Topic 2501

Determination of validity of statutes or Acts - General principles - General - The Supreme Court of Canada stated that: "... the validity of a legislative provision (in­cluding one relating to environmental protection) must be tested against the specific characteristics of the head of power under which it is proposed to jus­tify it. For each constitutional head of power has its own particular characteristics and raises concerns peculiar to itself in assessing it in the balance of Canadian federalism. This may seem obvious, per­haps even trite, but it is all too easy ... to overlook the characteristics of a particular power and overshoot the mark or, again, in assessing the applicability of one head of power to give effect to concerns appro­priate to another head of power ..." - See paragraphs 28 to 33.

Constitutional Law - Topic 2950

Determination of validity of statutes or Acts - Pith and substance - General prin­ciples - Environment - The Supreme Court of Canada held: "In assessing the constitutional validity of a provision relat­ing to the environment, therefore, what must first be done is to look at the cata­logue of legislative powers listed in the Constitution Act, 1867 to see if the pro­vision falls within one or more of the powers assigned to the body (whether Parliament or a provincial legislature) that enacted the legislation ... If the provision in essence, in pith and substance, falls within the parameters of any such power, then it is constitutionally valid" - See paragraphs 28 to 33, 100.

Constitutional Law - Topic 6511

Federal jurisdiction (s. 91) - Criminal law - Respecting particular matters - En­vironmental legislation - Hydro-Québec was charged with unlawfully releasing more than one gram per day of chloro­biphenyls into the environment contrary to s. 6(a) of the Chlorobiphenyls Interim Order, P.C. 1989-296, adopted pursuant to ss. 34 and 35 of the Canadian Environ­mental Protection Act (Can.) - Hydro-Québec was also charged with failing to report the situation to an inspector as soon as possible, contrary to s. 36(1)(a) of the Act - Hydro-Québec moved to have s. 6(a) of the Interim Order and ss. 34 and 35 of the Act declared unconstitutional as being ultra vires the powers of the federal Parliament - The Supreme Court of Canada, on appeal, dismissed the motion because the Act was validly adopted pur­suant to Parliament's criminal law power - See paragraphs 34 to 76.

Cases Noticed:

Friends of the Oldman River Society v. Canada (Minister of Transport and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans), [1992] 1 S.C.R. 3; 132 N.R. 321, consd. [para. 1].

R. v. Crown Zellerbach Canada Ltd., [1988] 1 S.C.R. 401; 84 N.R. 1, consd. [para. 7].

Reference Re Validity of Section 5(a) of the Dairy Industry Act (Margarine Case), [1949] S.C.R. 1, consd. [para. 8].

RJR-MacDonald Inc. et Imperial Tobacco Ltd. v. Canada (Procureur général), [1995] 3 S.C.R. 199; 187 N.R. 1, consd. [para. 25].

R. v. Morgentaler, [1993] 3 S.C.R. 463; 157 N.R. 97; 125 N.S.R.(2d) 81; 349 A.P.R. 81, refd to. [para. 29].

Whitbread v. Walley et al., [1990] 3 S.C.R. 1273; 120 N.R. 109, refd to. [para. 29].

Anti-Inflation Act, Re, [1976] 2 S.C.R. 373; 9 N.R. 541, refd to. [para. 31].

R. v. Fowler, [1980] 2 S.C.R. 213; 32 N.R. 230, refd to. [para. 33].

Ontario (Attorney General) v. Hamilton Street Railway Co., [1903] A.C. 524 (P.C.), refd to. [para. 35].

Proprietary Articles Trade Association v. Canada (Attorney General), [1931] A.C. 310 (P.C.), consd. [para. 35].

R. v. Wholesale Travel Group Inc. and Chedore, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 154; 130 N.R. 1; 49 O.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Rube (G.), [1992] 3 S.C.R. 159; 154 N.R. 241; 29 B.C.A.C. 41; 48 W.A.C. 41, refd to. [para. 36].

Scowby et al. v. Glendinning et al., [1986] 2 S.C.R. 226; 70 N.R. 241; 51 Sask.R. 208, consd. [para. 37].

Lord's Day Alliance of Canada v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [1959] S.C.R. 497, refd to. [para. 38].

Ontario v. Canadian Pacific Ltd., [1995] 2 S.C.R. 1031; 183 N.R. 325; 82 O.A.C. 243, consd. [para. 40].

Standard Sausage Co. v. Lee, [1933] 4 D.L.R. 501 (B.C.C.A.), consd. [para. 45].

Upper Churchill Water Rights Reversion Act, 1980, Re; Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corp. et al. v. Newfoundland (Attorney General) et al., [1984] 1 S.C.R. 297; 53 N.R. 268; 47 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 125; 139 A.P.R. 125, consd. [para. 64].

R. v. Wetmore et al., [1983] 2 S.C.R. 284; 49 N.R. 286, refd to. [para. 66].

R. v. Cosman's Furniture (1972) Ltd. (1976), 32 C.C.C.(2d) 345 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 66].

R. v. Morgentaler, [1976] 1 S.C.R. 616; 4 N.R. 277, consd. [para. 67].

R. v. Furtney et al., [1991] 3 S.C.R. 89; 129 N.R. 241; 51 O.A.C. 299, consd. [para. 67].

British Columbia (Attorney General) v. Canada (Attorney General), [1937] A.C. 368 (P.C.), refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Boggs, [1981] 1 S.C.R. 49; 34 N.R. 520, refd to. [para. 68].

Schneider v. British Columbia, Canada (Attorney General), Manitoba (Attorney General) and Alberta (Attorney General), [1982] 2 S.C.R. 112; 43 N.R. 91, consd. [para. 69].

Reference Re Farm Products Marketing Act, [1957] S.C.R. 198, refd to. [para. 72].

McNeil v. Nova Scotia Board of Censors and Nova Scotia (Attorney General), [1978] 2 S.C.R. 662; 19 N.R. 570; 25 N.S.R.(2d) 128; 36 A.P.R. 128, refd to. [para. 72].

R. v. Sault Ste. Marie (City), [1978] 2 S.C.R. 1299; 21 N.R. 295, refd to. [para. 86].

Labatt Breweries of Canada Ltd. v. Canada (Attorney General) and Quebec (Attorney General), [1980] 1 S.C.R. 914; 30 N.R. 496, refd to. [para. 113].

Knox Contracting Ltd. and Knox v. Canada and Minister of National Reve­nue et al., [1990] 2 S.C.R. 338; 110 N.R. 171; 106 N.B.R.(2d) 408; 265 A.P.R. 408, refd to. [para. 113].

R. v. Hauser, [1979] 1 S.C.R. 984; 26 N.R. 541; 16 A.R. 91, refd to. [para. 114].

Thomson Newspapers Ltd. v. Director of Investigation and Research, Combines Investigation Act et al., [1990] 1 S.C.R. 425; 106 N.R. 161; 39 O.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 123].

R. v. McKinlay Transport Ltd. and C.T. Transport Inc., [1990] 1 S.C.R. 627; 106 N.R. 385; 39 O.A.C. 385, refd to. [para. 123].

Nova Scotia (Attorney General) v. Canada (Attorney General), [1951] S.C.R. 31, refd to. [para. 134].

City National Leasing Ltd. v. General Motors of Canada Ltd., [1989] 1 S.C.R. 641; 93 N.R. 326; 32 O.A.C. 332, refd to. [para. 157].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Environmental Protection Act, R.S.C. 1985 (4th Supp.), c. 16, preamble [para. 15]; sect. 2(j) [para. 15]; sect. 3(1) [para. 23]; sect. 11 [para. 18]; sect. 15 [para. 19]; sect. 34 [para. 20]; sect. 35 [para. 21].

Canadian Environmental Protection Act Regulations (Can.), Interim Order respecting chlorobiphenyls, P.C. 1989-296, sect. 6(a) [para. 14].

Chlorobiphenyls, Interim Order respecting - see Canadian Environmental Protec­tion Act Regulations (Can.).

Constitution Act, 1867, sect. 91(27) [para. 34].

Interim Order respecting chlorobiphenyls - see Canadian Environmental Protec­tion Act Regulations (Can.).

Authors and Works Noticed:

Bowden, Marie-Ann, Friends of the Old­man River Society v. Canada et al.: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back (1992), 56 Sask. L. Rev. 209, pp. 219 to 220 [para. 139].

Canada, Environment Canada and Health and Welfare Canada, Background to the Regulation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) in Canada: A Report of the Task Force on PCB, April 1, 1976, to the Environmental Contaminants Committee of Environment Canada and Health and Welfare Canada, generally [para. 73].

Canada, Environment Canada and Health and Welfare Canada, Final Report of the Environmental Contaminants Act Amendments Consultative Committee (1986), generally [paras. 52, 102].

Canada, Environment Canada, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Health and Welfare Canada, Toxic Chemicals in the Great Lakes and Associated Effects (1991), generally [para. 73].

Canada, Environment Canada, From Cradle to Grave: A Management Approach to Chemicals (1986), generally [para. 52].

Canada, Environment Canada, The Right to a Healthy Environment: An Overview of the Proposed Environmental Protec­tion Act (1987), pp. 1 [para. 53]; 2 [para. 54]; 3 [para. 55 (eng.)]; 3, 4 [para. 55 (fr.)]; 10 to 11, 15 [para. 56 (eng.)]; 10 to 11, 18 [para. 56 (fr.)].

Canada, Environmental Health Criteria 140, World Health Organization, gen­erally [para. 73].

Canada, Environnement Canada, Le droit à un environnement sain: Aperçu du projet de loi sur la protection de l'en­vironnement, 1987 - see Canada, En­vironment Canada, The Right to a Healthy Environment: An Overview of the Proposed Environmental Protection Act (1987).

Canada, Health and Welfare Canada, A Review of the Toxicology and Human Aspects of PCBs (1978-1982) (1985), generally [paras. 73, 116].

Canada, Law Reform Commission, Recodifying Criminal Law, Report No. 31 (1987), pp. 93 [para. 41 (eng.)]; 105, 106 [para. 41 (fr.)].

Canada, Law Reform Commission, Crimes Against the Environment (1985), Work­ing Paper No. 44, generally [para. 41].

Canadian Council of Resource and En­vironment Ministers, The PCB Story (1986), generally [paras. 73, 116].

Commission for Environmental Co­operation, Council and Ministers, Reso­lution #95-5, Sound Management of Chemicals (October 1995), generally [para. 74].

Commission for Environmental Co­operation, Secretariat Bulletin (Win­ter/Spring 1996), vol. 2, No. 3, generally [para. 74].

Commission mondiale sur l'environnement et le développement (Commission Brundtland), Notre avenir à tous (1988), pp. 251, 252, 261, 262, 267 to 270 [para. 42 (fr.)].

Concise Oxford Dictionary (9th Ed. 1995), p. 1475 [para. 147 (eng.)].

Dobson, S., and van Esch, G.J., Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Therphenyls (2nd Ed. 1993), generally [para. 73].

Driedger, Elmer A., Construction of Stat­utes (2nd Ed. 1983), p. 87 [para. 60].

Farquhar, G.J., and Sykes, S., PCB Be­haviour in Soils (1978), pp. 7, 8, 22, 23, 26, 33 and 34 [para. 75].

Fitzgerald, Edward A., The Consti­tutionality of Toxic Substances Regu­lation under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (1996), 30 U.B.C.L. Rev. 55, p. 70 [para. 93].

Gibson, Dale, Constitutional Jurisdiction over Environmental Management in Canada (1973), 23 U.T.L.J. 54, p. 85 [para. 137].

Gilbertson, M. et al., Great Lakes Embryo Mortality, Edema, and Deformities Syn­drome (GLEMEDS) in Colonial Fish-eating Birds: Similarity to Chick-Edema Disease (1991), 33 Journal of Toxi­cology and Environmental Health, pp. 455 to 520 [para. 73].

Hogg, Peter W., Constitutional Law of Canada (3rd Ed. 1992)(Looseleaf), vol. 1, pp. 14-7 [paras. 14, 90]; 15-6 [para. 100]; 15-21 [para. 160]; 18-24 [para. 131]; 18-26 [para. 125].

Holland, Denys C., and McGowan, John P., Delegated Legislation in Canada (1989), pp. 170 to 171 [paras. 14, 90].

Jacobson, Joseph L., and Sandra W., A 4-Year Followup Study of Children Born to Consumers of Lake Michigan Fish (1993), 19(4) Journal of Great Lakes Research, pp. 776 to 783 [para. 73].

Leclair, Jean, Aperçu des virtualités de la compétence fédérale en droit criminel dans le contexte de la protection de l'environnement (1996), 27 R.G.D. 137, generally [para. 34].

Lederman, W.R., Unity and Diversity in Canadian Federalism: Ideals and Methods of Moderation (1975), 53 Can. Bar Rev. 597, p. 610 [para. 70].

Norstrom, Ross J., and Muir, Derek C.G., Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Contaminants in Arctic Marine Mammals (1994), 154 Science of the Total Environment, pp. 107 to 128 [para. 73].

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Protection of the Environment by Control of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (1973), gen­erally [para. 73].

Oxford English Dictionary (2nd Ed. 1989), [para. 57 (eng.)].

Robert, Le Nouveau Petit, 1995, generally [para. 57 (fr.)]; p. 2282 [para. 147 (fr.)].

United Nations Environment Programme, Global Environmental Issues (1982), pp. 55 to 60 [para. 42].

World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland Commission), Our Common Future (1987), pp. 211, 219 to 220, 224 to 225 [para. 42 (eng.)].

World Health Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, and International Labour Organization (joint report), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Polychlorinated Terphenyls (PCTs) Health and Safety Guide (1992), generally [para. 73].

Counsel:

Claude Joyal, James Mabbutt, Q.C., Yves Leboeuf and Jean Rhéaume, for the appellant;

François Fontaine, Sophie Perreault and Jean Piette, for the respondent;

Alain Gingras, for the mis en cause;

Thomson Irvine, for the intervener, the Attorney General for Saskatchewan;

Robert G. Richards, for the intervener, IPSCO Inc.;

Robert Astell, for the intervener, the So­ciété pour vaincre la pollution inc.;

Stewart A.G. Elgie and Paul R. Muldoon, for the interveners, Pollution Probe, Great Lakes United (Canada), Canadian Environmental Law Association and Sierra Legal Defence Fund.

Solicitors of Record:

George Thomson, Deputy Attorney Gen­eral of Canada, Montreal, Quebec, for the appellant;

Ogilvy Renault, Montreal, Quebec, for the respondent;

Alain Gingras, Sainte-Foy, for the mis en cause;

W. Brent Cotter, Regina, Saskatchewan, for the intervener, the Attorney General for Saskatchewan;

MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman, Regina, Saskatchewan, for the intervener, IPSCO Inc.;

Astell & Monette, Montreal, Quebec, for the intervener, the Société pour vaincre la pollution inc.;

Stewart A.G. Elgie and Paul R. Muldoon, Toronto, Ontario, for the interveners, Pollution Probe, Great Lakes United (Canada), Canadian Environmental Law Association and Sierra Legal Defence Fund.

This appeal was heard on February 10, 1997, by Lamer, C.J.C., La Forest, L'Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier, Cory, McLachlin, Iacobucci and Major, JJ., of the Supreme Court of Canada.

The judgment of the Supreme Court was delivered in both official languages on Sep­tember 18, 1997 and the following opinions were filed:

La Forest, J. (L'Heureux-Dubé, Gonthier, Cory and McLachlin, JJ., concurring) - see paragraphs 1 to 77;

Lamer, C.J.C., and Iacobucci, J., dis­senting (Sopinka and Major, JJ., con­curring) - see paragraphs 78 to 161.