Overview

### Bio
Liane Langstaff is a partner in Gowling WLG’s Toronto Environmental Law Group and co-leader of the firm's ESG Advisory Services practice. With her unique blend of education and experience in environmental sciences, business and law, Liane provides strategic regulatory advice and representation to her corporate and municipal clients.
**Environmental, constitutional and administrative litigation**
Liane has a proven track record of success in achieving her clients' environmental goals and navigating their challenges. She has represented clients in high profile environmental litigation, including representing the Canadian Public Health Association on the *Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act* constitutional cases before the Supreme Court of Canada. She helps her clients grapple with novel and complex legal and environmental issues, including climate change, endangered species, constitutional and administrative law.
**Environmental and impact assessment**
Leveraging her extensive background in environmental and impact assessments, Liane frequently guides municipalities and businesses on assessments of major infrastructure, energy and mining projects under the Ontario *Environmental Assessment Act* and the federal *Impact Assessment Act*. Her work in this area led her to co-authoring *A Guide to the Impact Assessment Act* (2020 Edition).
**ESG advisory services**
In her ESG Advisory Services practice and as a Climate Governance Expert with the Canada Climate Law Initiative, Liane helps clients navigate the legal and business challenges and opportunities associated with climate change and biodiversity. She has trained legal departments on the duties of in-house and municipal lawyers on ESG, supported the implementation of corporate climate action plans and helped clients protect and leverage forest and farm holdings through carbon offsets.
**Thought leadership**
As a sought-after writer, speaker and teacher, Liane frequently contributes to legal publications and has been invited to share her insights with leading organizations including the Ontario Bar Association, Women Get on Board, Legal ESG and the Latornell Conservation Symposium. She is passionate about teaching the next generation of environmental professionals as co-instructor of the environmental law course at Osgoode Hall Law School, faculty for Osgoode’s *Certificate in ESG, Sustainability Climate Risk and the Law* and an instructor for the Governance Professionals of Canada’s *Certificate in ESG Governance*.
**Education**
Liane's legal skills were honed as a clerk at the Ontario Court of Appeal. She is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School and the Schulich School of Business joint JD/MBA program, where she was awarded the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Scholarship and Hennick Medal for Academic Excellence.
### Experience
##### Representative Work
- Peer reviewed the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative’s 2022 Report, “Biodiversity Risk: Legal Implications for Companies and their directors”;
- Represented local governments and domestic and international businesses during federal impact assessment and provincial environmental assessment for major infrastructure, energy and mining projects, including:
- Representing clients in federal tribunal hearings; and
- Supporting expert opinions on the proper procedure for impact assessment for international investor-state arbitrations;
- Advised local governments and domestic and international businesses on protecting lands under endangered species, natural heritage and cultural heritage laws;
- Advised domestic and international businesses on complying with and obtaining permits in respect of endangered species, greenhouse gas, chemicals / toxic substances, waste management and product stewardship regulations;
- Represented local governments and companies on environmental litigation and enforcement issues before the tribunals and courts, including the Ontario Land Tribunal, Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner, Superior Court of Justice, Ontario Court of Justice, Ontario Divisional Court and Federal Court; and
- Drafted agreements to protect clients from environmental liabilities, allocate ownership of carbon credits and establish carbon reporting and disclosure requirements.
### Selected Decisions
- *Reference re: Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act*, [2019 SKCA 40](https://www.canlii.org/en/sk/skca/doc/2019/2019skca40/2019skca40.html ""); [2019 ONCA 544](https://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions/2019/2019ONCA0544.htm ""); [2020 ABCA 74](https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abca/doc/2020/2020abca74/2020abca74.html?autocompleteStr=2020ABCA74&autocompletePos=1 "") (Courts of Appeal of Saskatchewan, Ontario and Alberta)
- *Oakville (Town) (Re)*, [2021 CanLII 1129](https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onipc/doc/2021/2021canlii1129/2021canlii1129.html?resultIndex=1 "") (Ont Information and Privacy Commissioner)
- *CAMPP Windsor Essex Residents Association v Windsor (City)*, [2020 ONSC 4612](https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onscdc/doc/2020/2020onsc4612/2020onsc4612.html?resultIndex=1 "") (Ont Divisional Court)
- *Tre Memovia Developments Ltd. v 1491316 Ontario Inc.*, [2019 ONSC 4](https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2019/2019onsc4/2019onsc4.html?autocompleteStr=trememov&autocompletePos=1 ""), upheld on appeal [2020 ONSC 1568](https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2020/2020onsc1568/2020onsc1568.html "") (Ont Superior Court of Justice) and upheld at the Divisional Court.
- *Wiggins v Ontario (Environment and Climate Change)*, [2016 CanLII 67372](https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onert/doc/2016/2016canlii67372/2016canlii67372.html?resultIndex=6 "") (Ont Environmental Review Tribunal)
### Career & education
#### Career highlights
2017
Judicial Law Clerk, Court of Appeal for Ontario
2015
Business Development Student, Ontario Power Generation (Osgoode Intensive Program in Aboriginal Lands, Resources and Governments placement)
2014
Summer Student and Student-at-Law, Environmental Law Group, Gowling WLG
2013
Research Assistant to Dr. Dayna N. Scott, Osgoode Hall Law School (Environmental Law & Investment Arbitration)
#### Education
2015
JD, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, with graduate awards including the Hennick Medal for Academic Excellence and the Arthur Charles Pape Memorial Prize for Native Rights
2015
MBA, Schulich School of Business, York University with awards including the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Scholarship
2011
BSc (with Distinction), Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, with graduate awards including the College of Management & Economics Distinguished Scholar Medal and Ontario Co-op Student of the Year
#### Languages
English
##### Memberships
- Ontario Bar Association
- Canadian Bar Association
- Climate Change Lawyers Network
### Publications & speaking engagements
Liane is a regular contributor to Gowling WLG's Environmental Law Newsletter. In addition to those articles, Liane has contributed to the following publications and given the following presentations and lectures:
### Publications
Co-author, [*A Guide to Canada's Impact Assessment Act, 2020 Edition*](https://store.lexisnexis.ca/en/categories/shop-by-jurisdiction/federal-13/a-guide-to-canadas-impact-assessment-act-2020-edition-skusku-cad-6531/details ""), LexisNexis Canada (March 2020)
Contributor on Canadian climate change law in David Estrin's *[Business Guide to Environmental Law](https://store.thomsonreuters.ca/product-detail/business-guide-to-environmental-law/ "")* (2016 update)
### Media mentions
- Featured in the Institute of Corporate Directors' August 2023 edition of *Director Journal *on the topic of biodiversity in article "[Getting Back to Nature](https://issuu.com/icdcanada/docs/dj_full_j_a23_issu_vasanthakumar?fr=sMWFkYjYzMTE5OTU "")"
### Presentations, lectures and teaching
-
Speaker, "Environmental Law Year in Review 2020: Current Trends in Climate Change Regulation and Mitigation", Gowling WLG Webinar (November 2020)
-
Speaker, "[ThinkHouse Unlocked : Climate Change Litigation](/insights-resources/on-demand-webinars/2020/climate-change-litigation "")", Gowling WLG UK Webinar (September 2020)
-
Speaker, "[ESG and the Role of the Board](https://www.womengetonboard.ca/esg-and-the-role-of-the-board/ "")", Women Get on Board National Webinar (June 2020) and Toronto Live Event (February 2020)
-
Speaker, "[Bracing for the Storm: Climate Litigation Risk](https://www.evensi.ca/bracing-storm-climate-litigation-risk-breakfast-howe-street-250/370153714 "")", Canada Climate Law Initiative, Vancouver (February 2020)
-
Moderator & Panel Chair, "Climate Inaction on Trial: The Future of Litigation, Youth Advocacy and Industry Response", Globe Conference, Vancouver (February 2020)
-
Guest Lecturer, "Environmental Tribunals and Boards", School of Planning, University of Waterloo (2019 and 2020)
-
Co-Instructor, Environmental Law, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University (Fall 2019 semester)
-
Speaker, "Environmental Law for Business: A Year in Review" (November 2019)
-
Guest Lecturer, "Renewable Energy Projects with Northern Ontario First Nations: Considerations, Challenges and Solutions", Lecture and Aboriginal Law Simulation Negotiation, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University (January 2016) and Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, Lakehead University (November 2016)

Practice Areas

• Environmental Law

Bar Information

Called to the bar: 2016 (ON)

Professional Details