Province of British Columbia Bars Exploration and Development of Uranium ResourcesOn April 24, 2008, the Province of British Columbia announced that it will not support the exploration and development of uranium in British Columbia and is establishing a "no registration reserve" under the Mineral Tenure Act for uranium and thorium. The "no registration reserve" will ensure any future claims do not include the rights to uranium ...
Yukon Supreme Court Considers the Duty to Consult on Settled Treaty LandsCanadian case law continues to refine the principles of the duty to consult and accommodate Aboriginal peoples, and the May 2007 decision of the Yukon Supreme Court in Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation v. The Government of Yukon (Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources), 2007 YKSC 28 considers the extent of its application on recently settled treaty lands in the Yukon ...
The real estate market in Macedonia has been in a state of transition for the last two decades. This period brought the country from a situation in which such investment was seen as a duty primarily fulfilled by State bodies, institutions and enterprises to one in which the sector was left virtually entirely to the private sector ...
A. INTRODUCTIONThe development of transportation infrastructure in the Lower Mainland depends on expropriation of private property ...
As if employers and contractors needed reminding, two recent decisions emphasise the importance of having a contract in place as soon as possible, and the dangers of starting work on a letter of intent ...
Product liability insurance is often offered as an alternative to professional indemnity insurance by sub-contractors but is it really an alternative? The two forms of insurance have some fundamental differences. Professional indemnity insurance covers claims arising out of the professional activities of design consultants, sub-contractors or the contractor ...
Throughout the industry press, the topic of conversation at networking breakfasts, you can’t escape the doom and gloom of the global credit crunch. But what does this really mean for the industry? First and foremost, it means that risk will increase. There is more chance of a party experiencing cash flow difficulties, or even going bust. There will be less work around, resulting in keener prices and greater competition ...
Earlier this month the European Commission closed an investigation into a development in the German City of Flensburg. On the facts which the Commission eventually established it decided to close its file and take no further action, but it is the background which is interesting and provides a pointer to what best practice should be – particularly now that the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 have been in force for a number of years ...
Several years ago the Municipal Council in Alexandroupolis invited tenders for a contract to carry out a project in respect of a town plan. Using the appropriate procedure the Council issued a contract notice identifying the award criteria in order of priority (as was required by the relevant rules) ...
On May 28, 2008, the Quebec Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife, Claude Béchard, presented the first Government strategy for the lumber use in construction. Entitled “Agir aujourd’hui pour demain” (Acting today for tomorrow). This initiative has the goal of a threefold increase by 2014 in the use of wood products in the non-residential sector and in construction of multi-family dwellings, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 600,000 tonnes ...
On March 14, 2008, Luc Bertrand, the Chairman of the Board of the Montreal Climate Exchange, announced that the Exchange filed an application with the Autorité des marchés financiers requesting approval of the trading of environmental products on its electronic trading platform ...
On November 18, 2004, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decisions in Haida Nation v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests) and Weyerhaeuser, 2004 S.C.C. 73 (“Haida”) and Taku River Tlingit First Nation v. British Columbia (Project Assessment Director), 2004 S.C.C. 74 (“Taku”) ...
As Petroleum Commissioner for Namibia, Dr Leon Moller had first-hand experience of negotiating with international oil companies in Africa. Now a solicitor in Aberdeen, with leading UK law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn, he outlines the challenges and potential pitfalls facing firms hoping to exploit the continent's vast resources ...
Japanese knotweed is an extremely invasive plant which is capable of damaging property and can grow through concrete or even the floors of houses. It is difficult to eradicate and its disposal is considered to be "controlled waste" for the purposes of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Knotweed will often be apparent on inspection but this will not necessarily always be the case. A fragment of root as small as 0 ...
The UK Green Building Council has announced a new industry wide consultation to explore what kind of Code for Sustainable Buildings the industry needs to help it achieve the zero carbon target of 2019 and other sustainability challenges ...
The Crossrail Act 2008 (the “Act”) received Royal Assent on 22 July 2008. The Act authorises the works necessary to build Crossrail and the acquisition of land and interests in land necessary for those works. In addition, the Act establishes a planning and heritage regime for the works ...
The Government has announced a new scheme to supplement the existing HomeBuy scheme. The new scheme, known as "Rent to HomeBuy", will allow potential buyers to rent a property for a specified period at a less than market rent, with the option to buy a share of the property at the end of that period. The Government hopes that the new scheme will enable more tenants to buy their own home ...
Part I of a III Part Primer: An Introduction This newsletter is the first of a three part report prepared for our public finance clients with respect to “public private partnerships.” Also known as “PPP” or “P3” projects, there is an increasing amount of press regarding these projects, some of which is contradictory and some of which is just plain confusing ...
The Scottish Government has recently unveiled its long-awaited proposal for financing and delivering major public projects in Scotland. The initiative, the Scottish Futures Trust (the SFT), will replace the widely-criticised Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and heralds a golden opportunity for the delivery of high quality projects which represent value for money for the taxpayer ...
The proposed amendments to the Act have now been issued by DBERR. They are due to progress through parliament this session, but the key question is are they as anticipated and do they cover the recommendations made for change? The answer is largely yes. Although some in the industry will argue that they do not go far enough, they are representative of the latest 2007 Consultation ...
The JCT Constructing Excellence Contract 2006 is seen as a radical departure from the JCT's more "traditional" building contracts. However, will it be used used by developers in the private and public sectors? Many of the more "traditional" forms of contract (JCT and ICE in particular) were perceived to encourage an adversarial approach ...
For a long time, there have been negotiated general terms and conditions for the purchase of goods for construction businesses. The latest version is called ABM 07.Before I explain the changes these entail in relation to the previously provisions, ABM 92, I will give a summary description of the development, from the mid-1970’s, which has led to the ABM of today ...
A new Swedish Competition Act will enter into force on 1 November 2008. The Act was passed by parliament on 11 June 2008. The new legislation means further harmonisation with EC competition rules and it also introduces a number of new features in order to enhance cartel enforcement. One of the new features is the introduction of trading prohibitions. The rules regarding fines will become both clearer and stricter in an aim to enhance legal certainty ...
Debate is raging at the moment as to the economic and political wisdom of imposing a so-called windfall tax on the profits of the UK's energy companies. Politicians, business people and consumer groups have all offered their views on what has been described as a "legalised raid" on the energy companies. But are the proposals "legal" at all? In that context it is important to consider where the profits in question are likely to have arisen ...
