Canadian Environmental Law Association

History and founding

The Canadian Environmental Law Association was established in 1970. It was founded alongside its sister organization, the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy (CIELAP), which focused on policy research until 2011. From its inception, CELA's mandate was to use existing laws to protect the environment and to advocate for necessary legal reforms. The organization has been funded by Legal Aid Ontario since its early days, operating as one of 79 community legal clinics across the province and one of 15 specializing in a particular area of law. This foundational structure allowed CELA to provide free legal services to the public while also undertaking broader educational and law reform initiatives supported by government and private foundation grants. The association's creation was part of a broader movement in the early 1970s to establish legal tools for environmental protection in Canada.

Mission and core goals

CELA's mission is to protect human health and the environment by seeking justice through the legal system. The association's core goals are designed to achieve systemic change and include holding both governments and private polluters legally accountable for harm caused to the environment or public health. CELA works to safeguard the environmental rights of citizens, particularly those in low-income, vulnerable, or disadvantaged communities who are disproportionately affected by pollution. Improving environmental equity is a central tenet, ensuring that all communities have equal protection under environmental laws. The organization also seeks policies that proactively protect human and ecosystem health and advocates for the timely cleanup of contaminated sites to prevent ongoing harm. These goals guide all of CELA's litigation, advocacy, and educational work.

Legal services and client representation

As a specialty legal aid clinic, CELA provides free, confidential legal assistance to qualifying individuals and community groups across Ontario. This direct service work is a fundamental part of its operations, funded through its Legal Aid Ontario mandate. CELA represents clients before a wide range of administrative tribunals, boards, and commissions, such as the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and environmental assessment panels. The association is known for taking on complex, precedent-setting cases where clients would otherwise be unable to afford legal counsel. A landmark example of this representation was its assistance to the Concerned Citizens of Walkerton throughout all phases of the Walkerton Inquiry into tainted drinking water in 2002. Clients can request help through an intake form, and services include legal advice, representation at hearings, and assistance with public comment processes on proposed projects. CELA's legal work often involves issues of toxic substances, water protection, air quality, and land use planning.

Key advocacy and law reform work

Beyond individual casework, CELA engages in strategic advocacy and law reform projects to create broader environmental protections. This work often involves analysing proposed legislation, providing expert commentary, and pushing for stronger regulatory standards. Recent advocacy efforts have included calling for real action on environmental justice, commenting on proposed deep geologic repositories (DGR) and new nuclear sites, and urging the swift passage of protective legislation. The organization produces resources for the public, such as a guide for First Nations communities on source water protections in Bill C-37, the First Nations Clean Water Act. CELA also reviews public documents like Ontario Public Health Unit climate change vulnerability assessments and publishes reports critiquing regulatory processes. CELA's advocacy addresses a wide range of environmental health issues. Its recent activities and campaigns include:

• Advocating against higher permissible levels of lead in Ontario school drinking water.
• Presenting at community meetings on legal tools available for health protection, such as during the proposed demolition of the GE Complex in Peterborough.
• Supporting municipal initiatives like Hamilton's passage of Ontario's first municipal maximum heat bylaw.
• Celebrating environmental wins, such as the shutdown of Pickering nuclear plants and protective actions for water near Napanee.
• Operating free legal clinics for communities impacted by specific issues like air pollution in Hamilton.
• Contributing to professional legal education through programs like the Eight-Minute Environmental Lawyer offered by the Law Society of Ontario.

The Canadian Environmental Law Association has a long history of intervening in significant environmental assessments and regulatory hearings to argue for stronger protections and greater public participation. For example, the organization represented citizens and groups during the 2002 Walkerton Inquiry into tainted drinking water. CELA assists citizens' groups who are otherwise unable to afford legal assistance by acting on their behalf at hearings and in courts. This work is part of its core mission to use existing laws to protect the environment and to advocate for environmental law reforms.

Organizational structure and funding

CELA operates with a hybrid funding model that supports its dual role as a legal service provider and a public interest advocate. Its core legal aid services are funded by Legal Aid Ontario, which designates it as one of the province's specialized community legal clinics. Additional educational and law reform projects are financed through grants from government bodies and private foundations. The organization is led by an executive director, a role held by Theresa McClenaghan. In 1993, the CELA Foundation was established as the charitable arm of the association to specifically support its research and public education initiatives on environmental law and justice. This structure allows donated funds to be directed toward non-litigation activities like publishing reports and hosting educational events. The association is governed by a board of directors and employs lawyers, articling students, and support staff to carry out its work.

Publications and public outreach

CELA maintains an active public outreach program to disseminate legal information and advocate for its positions. Its flagship publication is the Intervenor newsletter, which has been published for decades, with Volume 54, Number 4 released in September 2026. The newsletter reports on CELA's cases, advocacy wins, and commentary on current environmental law issues. The organization also publishes e-bulletins and special reports on topics like nuclear safety and drinking water standards. CELA staff frequently present at conferences and community meetings. The CELA Foundation hosts a digital archive to preserve the history of environmental law advocacy in Canada, ensuring public access to historical documents and case studies. This archive includes submissions, legal arguments, and reports from decades of environmental law battles, serving as a resource for researchers and the public.

Recent activities and current focus

The association's newsletters from 2026 highlight ongoing campaigns concerning nuclear safety, waste disposal, and climate change adaptation. A significant focus remains on protecting vulnerable populations, evidenced by its work on lead in school water, heat bylaws, and air pollution clinics. CELA is actively involved in federal legislative processes, providing input on bills like the First Nations Clean Water Act. The organization also recruits for future legal professionals, advertising for an articling student position for the 2027 to 2028 term. CELA represents citizens and groups in tribunals, boards, and commissions and advocates for environmental law reforms. Current priorities include addressing cumulative environmental impacts on communities, promoting a right to a healthy environment in law, and challenging approvals for major industrial projects that pose health risks.

Questions about Canadian Environmental Law Association

What services does the Canadian Environmental Law Association provide?

CELA provides free, confidential legal services to qualifying low-income individuals and communities in Ontario facing environmental harm. These services include legal advice, representation at administrative tribunals and hearings, and assistance with public participation processes. As a legal aid clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario, it helps those who cannot afford private counsel. The association also offers public legal education and engages in law reform advocacy to improve environmental protections for everyone. Specific areas of legal help include contaminated sites, water pollution, air quality violations, and environmental assessment challenges.

Who is eligible for free legal help from CELA?

Eligibility for CELA's free legal services is primarily based on the legal aid financial criteria set by Legal Aid Ontario, focusing on low-income individuals and communities. The association particularly prioritizes vulnerable or disadvantaged groups disproportionately affected by environmental issues. Interested parties must use an intake form to request assistance, after which CELA assesses the case's merit and the client's financial situation. The service is dedicated to environmental equity, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to seeking justice for environmental harm. CELA also provides broader community legal education that is available to the general public regardless of income.

What was CELA's role in the Walkerton water crisis?

During the Walkerton drinking water tragedy, CELA was actively involved in assisting the Concerned Citizens of Walkerton. The association provided legal support and representation throughout all phases of the official Walkerton Inquiry in 2002. This work involved helping the community group participate effectively in the investigative process to uncover the causes of the contamination and the systemic failures that allowed it to happen. CELA's involvement exemplified its mandate to represent citizens in major environmental health crises and to seek accountability from public authorities. The inquiry's findings led to major reforms in Ontario's drinking water safety regulations.

How is CELA funded?

CELA operates with funding from two main streams. Its core legal aid clinic operations, including direct client representation, are funded by Legal Aid Ontario. This designates it as one of 79 community legal clinics in the province. CELA undertakes educational and law reform projects that are funded by grants from various government agencies and private foundations. Its charitable arm, the CELA Foundation, established in 1993, also raises funds specifically to support research and public education initiatives. This hybrid model ensures stability for essential services while allowing flexibility for proactive advocacy work.

What is the CELA Foundation?

The CELA Foundation is the charitable arm of the Canadian Environmental Law Association, established in 1993. Its purpose is to support CELA's research and public education work on environmental law and justice issues, which fall outside the scope of direct legal services funded by Legal Aid Ontario. The foundation manages donations and grants to fund projects like publishing reports, maintaining a digital archive of environmental law history, and conducting outreach and educational programs. It allows the public to financially contribute to CELA's broader advocacy and knowledge-sharing missions. The foundation is a registered charity, enabling it to issue tax receipts for donations.

Who is the current executive director of CELA?

The current executive director of the Canadian Environmental Law Association is Theresa McClenaghan. As executive director, she leads the organization's strategic direction, oversees its legal and advocacy work, and represents CELA in public forums. The executive director is responsible for managing the clinic's operations, its staff and articling students, and ensuring it fulfills its mandates from both Legal Aid Ontario and its charitable foundation. McClenaghan's leadership guides CELA's ongoing efforts in environmental justice litigation and law reform. She has been a prominent voice on issues such as safe drinking water, toxic substances, and climate law.

Sources and further reading

• Canadian Environmental Law Association (Wikipedia)
• Canadian Environmental Law Association: Home (cela.ca)

Checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-11-03.