Bio
Raeya Jackiw is an associate lawyer practicing environmental law and litigation, as well as Indigenous law. Raeya’s background in environmental science and biology helps her understand and facilitate the resolution of complex legal problems. Raeya is called to the bar in Ontario.
Environmental Litigation
Raeya advocates for clients in environmental lawsuits, defence of regulatory prosecutions, and appeals of regulatory orders and approvals.
Environmental Law
Raeya assists clients in understanding and achieving compliance with federal, provincial, and municipal environmental regulatory laws. She also helps clients manage environmental liability arising from contaminated land.
Indigenous and Northern Law
Raeya provides advice to First Nation, Métis, and Inuit communities, resource proponents, governments, and environmental boards on environmental law issues and natural resource development. Raeya advises clients on Indigenous consultation obligations and assists both Indigenous communities and proponents in the negotiation of impact benefit agreements.
Prior Environmental and Indigenous Experience
Raeya holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Environmental Science and Biology from Queen’s University and a Masters of Environmental Science from the University of Guelph.
At Queen’s, Raeya worked as a laboratory and field biologist studying climate change impacts and conservation policy.
During her Masters, Raeya researched natural heritage values and management principles to inform the creation of a sustainable development plan for a local Indigenous community’s traditional territory.
While at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Raeya completed the Certificate of Indigenous Legal Studies and an intensive course in Indigenous legal traditions. Raeya negotiated consent and compensation for impacts to rights arising from a hypothetical pipeline development in the 2017 Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Moot.
Clients
- Industrial businesses
- Land developers and property owners
- Commercial landlords and tenants
- Municipalities
- Conservation authorities
- Indigenous, including First Nation, Inuit, and Métis communities and businesses
- Environmental boards and tribunals including northern boards and tribunals
- Mining and exploration, energy and infrastructure proponents
- Individuals
Representative Work
Environmental Litigation
- Civil Litigation for Contaminated Property—Assisted property owners seeking damages for historic contamination.
- Wind Turbine Opposition—Assisted a municipality appealing the approval of a wind turbine project that threatened human safety.
- Defence of Prosecution of Dredging Business—Assisted with the defence of a dredging business charged with violating a permit under the Ontario Water Resources Act.
Environmental Law
- Municipality's Purchase of Harbour—Assisted a small municipality in assessing environmental risks associated with the purchase of a harbour.
- Environmental Risk Management—Assisted a property developer with ongoing environmental investigations to assess contamination. Advised the developer about environmental civil and regulatory liabilities associated with contaminated land.
Indigenous and Northern Law
- Negotiation of Impact Benefit Agreement—Assisted a First Nation community in the negotiation of an impact benefit agreement for a mining project.
- Advice to Mining Company on Indigenous Consultation—Assisted with advising a mining company about the scope and content of the duty to consult owed to First Nation and Métis communities located near a proposed mining site.
- Advice to Northern Board on Conservation Policy—Assisted with advising a northern resource board on the impact of a conservation agreement created under the federal Species at Risk Act.
Energy, Climate Change, and Emissions Trading
- Intervention in Energy Board Hearing—Assisted an environmental non-profit organization to intervene at the Ontario Energy Board in various energy proceedings relating to cap-and-trade, natural gas and energy conservation.