Torys

Environment

An experienced environmental lawyer with involvement across energy and infrastructure, mining and metals, and climate change, Tyson brings strategic acumen, skillful advocacy and technical insight to his work advising clients on the environmental, health and safety aspects of their most complex matters.

In the energy and infrastructure sector, Tyson works extensively on the development, permitting and financing of high-profile projects across Canada, having advised on more than 50 wind, solar, gas, hydro and energy storage projects, together representing over 5,000 MW in installed capacity. He advises on major transmission and distribution projects, including electricity transmission lines and natural gas pipelines. Tyson gives strategic advice in navigating the complex and often challenging environmental assessment and permitting processes, as well as on negotiations with regulatory agencies, Indigenous communities, local municipalities and other stakeholders. He has advised clients on dozens of proceedings before the Ontario Energy Board, Environmental Review Tribunal, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, National Energy Board, Niagara Escarpment Commission and other administrative tribunals.

In the mining and metals sector, Tyson acts for companies acquiring, financing, developing and operating major uranium, potash, coal and precious metals operations across the country. He regularly advises these clients on stakeholder relations and permitting, compliance and enforcement matters, including investigations and prosecutions under provincial and federal environmental laws. He has also worked with the national industry association on matters relating to the Fisheries Act and Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations.

Tyson is also recognized as a leading lawyer in climate change policy and regulation, particularly on the carbon pricing systems adopted across North America. He has advised clients with responsibility for over 40,000 kilotonnes of greenhouse gas emissions on the formation of and compliance with these systems, as well as on emissions offset projects, emissions trading and climate change-related disclosure.

Tyson advises clients in many other sectors, including pulp and paper, water treatment, communications, iron and steel, chemicals and manufacturing. He provides advice on the full range of issues in the environmental and energy-regulatory fields, including environmental assessments, project permitting, contaminated sites remediation, endangered species protection, spills response and reporting and the inspection, investigation and defence of environmental offences.

Ontario Bar, 2004

Tyson is a prolific writer and speaker on environmental and climate change issues, including at the University of Toronto Law School, McGill University Faculty of Law, Osgoode Law School and Stanford Law School, where he completed a fellowship on emissions trading issues as a Fulbright Scholar. He has published leading journal articles on the topic, including in the Columbia Journal of Environmental Law.

Tyson is a member of the Environmental Law and International Law Sections of the Ontario Bar Association, as well as the National Environmental, Energy and Resources Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association.

During his articles, Tyson was seconded to the legal department of Ontario Power Generation.