Charles Birchall

Background

About Charles Birchall

Charles (Chuck) has over 30 years of experience in legal practice devoted exclusively to environmental law. His work focuses on the areas of environmental assessment and compliance, energy law, and aboriginal consultation and economic development. Chuck provides advice on environmental assessment issues raised by mining, oil and gas and energy projects as well as in relation to infrastructure projects. He is currently counsel to two Joint Review Panels conducting environmental assessments of applications by Shell Canada Energy for the Jackpine Mine Expansion Project and the Pierre River Mine - both of which are located in northern Alberta. Chuck has extensive experience in the environmental compliance and assessment aspects of corporate commercial negotiations and transactions, including assessment of contamination issues, remediation, and approvals requirements. He has advised clients and appeared before Parliamentary Committees in the Senate and House of Commons on such legislation as: the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the Species at Risk Act, and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. From 1986-1989, Chuck was the Executive Assistant to the Honourable Ian Scott when Mr. Scott was the Attorney General of Ontario as well as acting Solicitor General, Minister Responsible for Native Affairs and Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues and Minister Responsible for Race Relations.Chuck is the immediate past Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s National Environmental, Energy and Resources Law Section. He is also past Chair of three non-governmental organizations:(i) the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee;(ii) the Canadian Council on Social Development; and the Canadian Environmental Law Association. From 2006 to 2008, Chuck was an adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Common Law co-teaching a course on planning and environmental assessment law.