Lessons from an Ancient Concept: How the Public Trust Doctrine will meet obligations to protect the environment and the public interest in Canadian water management and governance in the 21st century

The Public trust doctrine is a longstanding legal principle that has the potential to provide protection to ecological values, ensure water for future needs, and protect public uses and interests. While application of the principle is widespread in the U.S., it has yet to be fully articulated in Canada. This paper will outline the opportunity to enshrine the Public trust doctrine into Canadian water law by highlighting the foundational aspects required in any legal framework. It will highlight key cases in which courts in other common law jurisdictions have applied Public Trust principles, and discuss the interplay between the development of this principle at common law and in legislation. It will provide an overview of the core legal [...]