Green Propserity is a joint effort by 23 of Ontario's leading environmental organizations to outline an action agenda for the province that we believe will help make Ontario a world leader in green practices and programs. For more information on the groups involved, click here.

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment

Canadian Environmental Law Association

Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy

Citizens Environment Alliance

Community Power Fund

Conservation Council of Ontario

David Suzuki Foundation

Earthroots

Ecojustice

Environment North

Environmental Defence

Forest Ethics

Great Lakes United

Greenpeace

Local Food Plus

Ontario Nature

Ontario Smart Growth Network

Ontario Sustainable Energy Association

Pembina Institute

Sierra Club

Toronto Environmental Alliance

Wildlands League

World Wildlife Fund

	Threats of lawsuits or large cost awards can silence citizens trying to stand up to deep pocketed developers or big polluters.

Stop developers, big polluters and other powerful interests from silencing public debate around urban sprawl, pollution prevention and other important public policy decisions.  Ensure the public’s right to participate in decision making by passing anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) legislation.

SLAPPs are lawsuits brought by powerful interests to intimidate and stifle citizen participation in public policy and decision-making processes. Interests using SLAPPs are rarely, if ever, successful in winning damages or cost awards. However, they exact a heavy toll on individuals and citizen groups because of the financial burden and resources required to mount a legal defence. SLAPPs also serve to deter others from speaking out on the same or similar issues. For urban planning, requests for exorbitant cost awards against individuals and citizen groups who have expressed opposition to a development project and participated at hearings before tribunals (e.g., Ontario Municipal Board) are another type of SLAPP. These can also have a chilling effect on public participation in the approval process.

Anti-SLAPP legislation has been enacted in a number of jurisdictions, including Québec, 27 U.S. states and Australia. The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario’s recent Annual Report recognized the growing phenomena of SLAPPs in Ontario and called upon the government to enact legislation to halt SLAPPs.  

Anti-SLAPP legislation can lead to better urban planning and environmental policy decisions by ensuring full public participation in decision making and by curbing undue influence on the part of developers and other powerful interests.  The result will be more liveable and ecologically sustainable communities.

Further resources:

SLAPPs hurt - Environmental Defence