Media Releases

Lower Fraser Floodplains Forum brings together decision-makers and experts to chart a path forward for flood resilience

Topics: Fish & Wildlife, Healthy Waters, Community Climate Adaptation, Indigenous Law, Green Communities, Coastal Communities, Green Infrastructure

Court dismisses defamation lawsuit against Qualicum Beach residents

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Environmental Legal Aid

xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/VANCOUVER

Topics: Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers, Indigenous Law, Indigenous Law

xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/VANCOUVER – West Coast Environmental Law congratulates the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xai'xais, Nuxalk and Wuikinuxv Nations, Parks Canada and the BC provincial government for collaborating on an important step

Topics: Indigenous Law, Marine Protection, Great Bear Sea, Protected Areas, Indigenous Laws

Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories / Vancouver, BC - 

Topics: Indigenous Law

VANCOUVER, BC, Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh Territories – West Coast Environmental Law applauds today’s decision by the Supreme Court upholding Canada’s price on carbon pollution, which confirmed the responsibility of all levels of government to take action to address the climate crisi

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Climate and Energy, Climate Solutions, Environmental Legal Aid, EDRF Legal Aid Fund

Urgent need for national strategy and law to address environmental racism

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Green Communities, Environmental Legal Aid

VANCOUVER, BC, Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh Territories – West Coast Environmental Law is deeply disappointed by today’s decision by the BC government to continue construction on the Site C dam.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Environmental Assessment, Climate and Energy, Environmental Legal Aid, EDRF Legal Aid Fund

Environmental lawyers look for government to deliver on commitments to aggressive climate vision and plan

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Climate and Energy, Indigenous Law, Marine Protection, Green Communities

Please be advised that effective 1 August 2020, West Coast Environmental Law's office address will be changed. 

Telephone and fax numbers remain the same.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Climate and Energy, Indigenous Law, Marine Protection, Green Communities, Environmental Legal Aid, Legal Advice

“The federal government investigating itself is clearly not an option,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC

Topics: Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers, Indigenous Law

How we’re responding to global efforts to #FlattenTheCurve

These are exceptional times. There is a lot going on in the world and it seems like the news is changing almost by the minute.

Topics: Environmental Legal Aid, EDRF Legal Aid Fund, Legal Advice

VANCOUVER, BC, Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh Territories – Lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law are calling on the BC Liberal Caucus to correct misinformation aimed at undermining environmental organizations and lawful resistance to the Coastal GasLink pipeline in Wet’suwet’en territ

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Marine Protection, Environmental Legal Aid, EDRF Legal Aid Fund

Narrow Federal Court of Appeal decision is a blow for reconciliation and sustainability, lawyers say  

Topics: Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers, Indigenous Law, Indigenous Law

West Coast Environmental Law event marks 30 years of environmental legal aid in BC

Topics: Environmental Legal Aid, EDRF Legal Aid Fund

VICTORIA, BC, Lekwungen Territories – West Coast Environmental Law Association is celebrating today’s introduction of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, which will bring the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (“UN Declaration”) into provincial law.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Indigenous Law, Indigenous Law

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – The federal government’s “first step” to proceed with the Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project fails to address the critical issue of Indigenous consultation, says West Coast Environmental Law.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers, Indigenous Law, Indigenous Law

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – Lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law issued the following statement in response to the

Topics: Indigenous Law, Indigenous Law, Marine Protection, Protected Areas

Trappers’ stories illustrate cumulative impact of industrial activity on lands, waters and wildlife

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Lands & Forests, Fish & Wildlife, Healthy Waters, Indigenous Law, Indigenous Law

RELAW project works with Indigenous nations to revitalize Indigenous environmental laws

Topics: Indigenous Law, Indigenous Law, RELAW, Sharing Stories

Judge slams federal Environment Minister for failure to protect at-risk caribou herds

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – Lawyers and local environmental advocates are celebrating a victory in the Federal Court of Canada on behalf of endangered caribou herds in British Columbia.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Fish & Wildlife, Environmental Legal Aid

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – West Coast Environmental Law Association welcomes the BC government’s introduction of the Protection of Public Participation Act, a much-needed law that aims to protect British Columbians from costly SLAPP lawsuits (strategic lawsuits against public parti

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Environmental Legal Aid

OTTAWA – A report released today by the leaders of Canada’s top environmental organizations reviews the progress of the federal government in meeting its platform and mandate commitments on environmental issues across the country.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Canada's Environmental Reviews, Environmental Assessment, Lands & Forests, Fish & Wildlife, Healthy Waters, Climate and Energy, Indigenous Law, Marine Protection

Estok-Na Territory/Houston, Texas – Indigenous leadership from Canada made an emergency trip to the Kinder Morgan AGM in Houston this morning to present an overview of Indigenous opposition to the proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.

Topics: Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers, Indigenous Law

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – Today, 45 leading organizations and public interest advocates from a broad range of sectors published an open letter welcoming the BC Attorney General’s commitment to enact legislation to protect British Columbians from strategic lawsuits against public p

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Environmental Legal Aid, EDRF Legal Aid Fund, Legal Advice