This case was heard in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia.

After the Department of Environment approved an oil exploration project, the Margaree Environmental Association ("MEA") filed an appeal under the provincial Environment Act, which allows for appeals to the Minister of Environment after departmental decisions are made. The Minister of Environment dismissed the appeal, and so the MEA appealed to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia.

After determining that the appropriate standard of review was the reasonableness standard, the Court held that the Minister’s decision had not been unreasonable. The Court also considered whether the appellants had been treated fairly throughout the assessment and approval process, and found that they had. It therefore dismissed their appeal.

View the Decision on CanLII: https://www.canlii.org/en/ns/nssc/doc/2012/2012nssc296/2012nssc296.html

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