Through our Environmental Law Alert blog, West Coast keeps you up to date on the latest developments and issues in environmental law. This includes:
If you have an environmental story that we should hear about, please e-mail Andrew Gage. We welcome your comments on any of the posts to this blog – but please keep in mind our policies on comments.
On October 1st, 2025, the Alberta government announced its intention to develop a proposal for a new crude oil pipeline to transport raw bitumen to the north Pacific coast. Unfortunately this idea fails to acknowledge some important realities.
This blog provides a reality-check on five key issues that must be central to the conversation about the idea of a proposed pipeline to the BC coast.
Carney once wrote that “climate change is the most pressing issue of our time.” It’s time to act like it. Canadians deserve a government that meets its climate obligations, not one that gives up on them when they become inconvenient. Anything less is a betrayal – not just of climate policy, but of future generations.
We trust our governments to make decisions for us, including making investments now that will keep our communities safe tomorrow.
The High Seas Treaty will govern areas of the ocean that are beyond national jurisdiction. Canada has signed – but not ratified – this important international agreement. Send a message to your MP and federal Ministers urging them to ratify the High Seas Treaty without delay!
Parliament passed Bill C-5 giving the federal government sweeping powers to fast-track projects deemed to be in the “national interest.” We’ve set out seven non-negotiable criteria for what truly counts as being in the national interest.
BC Bill 14 promises to speed up approvals for renewable energy projects. But in practice, it’s designed to power LNG exports and mining – and it could gut environmental oversight in the process.
This summer, the West Coast office has been buzzing with the addition of five law students to our team. Check out what they had to say about their time with us!
The BC government has appointed two climate policy experts to conduct a review of CleanBC, and it’s time to make your voice heard. British Columbians are encouraged to provide input by filling out the CleanBC survey by August 1, 2025.
Every summer, West Coast’s Summer Outreach Coordinator leads a team of dedicated volunteers to attend events throughout the Lower Mainland, sharing West Coast’s work and vision for the future. We chatted with this year’s Summer Outreach Coordinator, Tra Mi Do Le, about why having a presence at public events is so important.
Bill C-5 sets a dangerous precedent by bulldozing regulatory guardrails and evidence-based decision making, and sidelining Indigenous rights. In this op-ed, Staff Lawyer Anna Johnston argues that acting in our "national interest" means looking before we leap into decisions about major projects.