Bio
Joanna Vince has significant expertise representing a wide range of clients with environmental issues, civil claims and prosecutions, orders and appeals. Joanna was admitted to the bar of Ontario in 2011.
Contaminated Land and Environmental Risk Management
Joanna provides advice about environmental aspects of the purchase, sale, remediation and development of contaminated land. She helps quantify and manage environmental risk, and provides solutions for environmental due diligence and compliance. Joanna also assists with negotiations with environmental regulators to prevent orders and prosecutions.
Environmental Approvals and Assessments
Joanna assists with regulatory process, environmental assessments and approvals for manufacturing and other industry, energy, mining, natural resource and infrastructure projects. She helps clients obtain approvals for air, noise, waste and sewage.
Environmental and Energy Litigation
Joanna represents plaintiffs and defendants in environmental civil litigation. She also defends individuals and companies against environmental regulatory prosecutions.
Joanna appears before administrative tribunals including the Environmental Review Tribunal, Ontario Municipal Board, National Energy Board and Ontario Energy Board to appeal or uphold regulatory orders and approvals. She advocates for client interests in energy and transmission projects and pipelines.
Northern and Aboriginal Law
Joanna advises First Nation and Inuit communities, resource proponents, and environmental boards and tribunals connected with natural resource development in Canada’s near and far north.
Prior Environmental Experience
Joanna has a B.Sc. (Hons., High Distinction) in biology and environmental science, and a Certificate in Environmental Studies.
Joanna’s knowledge of and commitment to environmental issues was recognized by the University of Toronto, which awarded her the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Fellowship and the Douglas Pimlott Scholarship.
Also at the University of Toronto, Joanna assisted with preparing academic papers and books as a research assistant on wind power, carbon taxes and climate change.
Clients
- Industrial and manufacturing facilities
- Financial institutions, lenders, insurers and insureds
- Land developers, property owners, landlords, tenants
- Construction companies
- Municipalities
- Conservation authorities
- Transit authorities
- Renewable energy proponents
- Mining and exploration proponents
- First Nation and Inuit communities
- Universities and colleges
- Individuals
Representative Work
Contaminated Land and Environmental Risk Assessment
- Pre-purchase Environmental Due Diligence—Assisted a municipality with environmental due diligence on the purchase of a federal harbor with historical contamination, assessed potential environmental risks, liabilities and obligations and provided recommendations for environmental terms in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale.
- Remediation at an Ongoing Operation—Assisted a chemical company with strategies to remediate contamination on its and neighbouring properties. Negotiated with the environmental regulator and prevented the regulator from requiring further work and/or issuing an order.
- Environmental Lease Terms—Reviewed environmental lease terms for properties owned by a real estate investment trust with Canadian and foreign properties, advised about the REIT’s environmental liabilities and responsibilities, environmental lease terms, and potential claims against tenants.
Environmental Approvals and Assessments
- Environmental Compliance Approval—Reviewed noise reports and noise mitigation measures for a transit authority as part of an Environmental Compliance Approval application, facilitated negotiations with the environmental regulator about noise mitigation measures, and ultimately saved the client over $10 million in noise mitigation costs.
- Opposition to an Environmental Compliance Approval—Made submissions on behalf of a food manufacturer to oppose an application for an ECA by a proposed neighbouring facility.
- Environmental Assessments—Reviewed prior unsuccessful provincial and federal Environmental Assessments for an aggregate producer, addressed issues raised by intervenors and the review panel, and provided advice about proceeding with a successful EA.
Environmental and Energy Litigation
- Civil Litigation for Contaminant Migration—Represented property owners impacted by contaminant migration from a neighbouring gas station. The defendant agreed to pay for the cost to complete remedial work and the decrease in property value.
- Intervention in Pipeline Hearing—Represented a conservation authority to intervene at the National Energy Board on an application to reverse and increase the flow of crude oil through a stretch of pipeline. The NEB adopted much of the client’s evidence, written arguments, and key issues raised.
- Response to Appeal of an Environmental Compliance Approval—Represented a client before Ontario’s ERT on an appeal opposing the client’s Environmental Compliance Approval.
Northern and Aboriginal Law
Damage to Inuit Land by Mining Exploration—On behalf of an Inuit Association, engaged in negotiations with Environment Canada, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada and a mining proponent about impairment of the client’s land and water.