Media Releases

The High Seas Treaty has reached the milestone of 60 state ratifications needed to trigger its entry into force.

Lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law are expressing disappointment at the Prime Minister’s announcement that the federal government intends to fast-track five major projects. Rather than truly sustainable projects Canadians need, the government's list emphasizes the production and export of non-renewable resources.

Five years since the release of the independent Old Growth Strategic Review Report, 88 diverse groups, together with the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, are sounding the alarm about BC’s lack of progress on one of the Report’s key recommendations: enacting a new law for biodiversity and ecosystem health.

A coalition of Canada’s leading environmental, nature and climate organizations has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and key Cabinet ministers calling on the federal government to adopt seven clear, transparent criteria for determining which projects are truly in the national interest under the Building Canada Act (Bill C-5).

Open letter says the province must align its climate plan with international law, meet its targets, and phase out fossil fuel production

Environmental and civil society groups condemn Parliament’s reckless passage of Bill C-5’s controversial Building Canada Act. The Act erodes democratic principles, runs roughshod over Indigenous rights, shuts Canadians out of decisions that could affect them, and puts the environment at risk.

Leading Environmental and Legal Experts Call for Critical Amendments to Protect Democracy and the Environment and be consistent with the Canadian Constitution, Urge Further Senate Review

Environmental legal experts launched a report today describing environmental disasters that have occurred in Canada when strong environmental laws, impact assessment processes or effective regulatory oversight were absent. These disasters are a harbinger of scenarios that could result from current proposals to fast-track and exempt major projects from environmental regulation and assessment processes, say the lawyers.

A new federal bill aimed at expediting so-called “nation-building” projects could do more harm than good, environmental lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law say.

Today, BC and the Gitanyow, Taku River Tlingit, Kaska Dena, Tahltan and Nisga’a peoples announced inclusive planning processes that aim to produce jointly recommended land use plans within one year, that could make a significant contribution to BC’s goal of protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030 and safeguard the ecological health of a vast region as the foundation for collective prosperity.

Two provincial bills aimed at reducing barriers to development, Bills 14 and 15, were narrowly passed by the BC Legislature last night. According to lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law, both laws promise to rush approval of certain types of projects, and in the case of Bill 15 could actually result in environmental, labour and community safety requirements being amended to allow a specific project to go ahead.

West Coast is excited to recognize 16 inspiring young individuals who have made important contributions to environmental justice in BC, through the Andrew Thompson Award (ATA) Youth Changemakers for Environmental Justice initiative.

The election results are in, and Canadians have elected the Liberal Party to form government. Climate Action Network Canada (CAN-Rac) congratulates Prime Minister Mark Carney, and urges him to use this opportunity to build a fairer, more resilient society grounded in reliable, renewable Canadian solutions.

Canada’s leading environmental organizations have today released responses from federal parties on their environmental and climate plans. This initiative aims to provide voters with insights into how parties will tackle issues like fossil fuel pollution, biodiversity loss, Indigenous-led conservation and a clean electricity grid, if elected.

The Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities has passed a resolution calling on the Province to legislate the BC Coastal Marine Strategy. This resolution was championed by the District of Saanich and the City of Langford.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and West Coast Environmental Law Association ask Attorney General Niki Sharma to confirm whether the BC government will work to recover healthcare costs from global and BC fossil fuel companies.

The District of Saanich and City of Langford Councils voted unanimously in favour of BC municipalities pushing the BC government to enshrine its recently-released Coastal Marine Strategy into law.

Environmental lawyers say exempting projects from assessment & ramming through permits is a recipe for delay, conflict and uncertainty.

Lawyers with West Coast Environmental Law are responding to today's announcement that federal charges have been laid against Imperial Metals and Mount Polley Mine Corp., more than a decade after the devastating 2014 tailings dam failure at the Mount Polley Mine.

West Coast Environmental Law is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Andrew Thompson Award, which recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding lifetime contribution to environmental protection and sustainability through law in BC.

Environmental and constitutional law experts at West Coast Environmental Law Association are decrying a second constitutional challenge to the federal Impact Assessment Act (IAA) launched by the Government of Alberta.

The proposed new federal oil and gas greenhouse gas pollution cap regulations will use a cap-and-trade system to limit pollution from oil and gas facilities and ensure the sector does its fair share to help meet Canada’s climate goals.

Lawyers with the West Coast Environmental Law Association expressed shock yesterday after an announcement suggesting that the BC NDP would end its consumer carbon price if the federal government drops its requirement for the law.

The letter was sent in the aftermath of the Jasper Wildfire Complex, which destroyed approximately 30 percent of the community as well as parts of Jasper National Park, and as communities across North America experience an uptick in fossil-fueled climate disasters like fires, smoke, floods, and deadly heat.

Unceded, traditional, and ancestral Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories / Vancouver, BC – BC is joining other coastal regions in North America with the release of its first and much-needed