Publications

Browse our recent publications, including reports, briefs, submissions to government, and other materials.

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Caretakers of the Land and its People
Caretakers of the Land and its People: Why Indigenous Trapline Holders’ Legal Rights and Responsibilities Matter for Everyone

Over the past several years, lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law have received a number of inquiries from Indigenous trapline holders in BC seeking to protect their hereditary and registered traplines from the cumulative impacts of various industrial projects including logging, mining, hydroe
Author: Bud Napoleon and Hannah Askew, With contributions from Siumshun (Richard Billy), Erica Stahl, Nico McKay, Yasmeen Peer, and Christina Clemente
Publication Date: August 2018
Pages: 92
WCEL BC EA Reform Cover January 2018
Why it's time to reform Environmental Assessment in British Columbia

In the summer of 2017, BC’s new provincial government promised to reform environmental assessment and planning in British Columbia.
Author: Gavin Smith, Anna Johnston, Hannah Askew
Publication Date: January 2018
Pages: 24
Between Law and Action
Between Law and Action: Assessing the State of Knowledge on Indigenous Law, UNDRIP and Free, Prior and Informed Consent with Reference to Fresh Water Resources

The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted in 2007, and was endorsed by the Government of Canada in 2016. More recently, the federal government released its Principles res
Author: Hannah Askew, Corey Snelgrove, Kelsey R Wrightson, Don Couturier, Alisa Koebel, Linda Nowlan, Karen Bakker
Publication Date: September 2017
Pages: 54
Paddling Together Report
Paddling Together: Co-Governance Models for Regional Cumulative Effects Management

The combined effect of hundreds of thousands of different approvals, licences and unpermitted activities have combined over time to degrade our natural life support systems – the web of life that we are part of, and depend upon, to sustain our cultures and economies.
Author: Jessica Clogg, Gavin Smith, Deborah Carlson, Hannah Askew
Publication Date: June 2017
Pages: 120
Open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau re: Commitment to introduce legislated ban on oil tanker traffic on British Columbia’s north coast

An open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed by
Author: open letter
Publication Date: November 2015
Pages: 1
Open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau re: Kinder Morgan / Energy East NEB

An open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the NEB process.
Author: open letter
Publication Date: November 2015
Pages: 4
Legal Backgrounder – What are the Northern Gateway Court Challenges About?
The eighteen legal challenges to the federal
Author: Gavin Smith, Justine Desmond
Publication Date: July 2015
Andrew Thompson Award 2014 Brochure
The Andrew Thompson award was established in 2002 by West Coast Environmental Law and the Thompson family as a legacy to Dr. Andrew Thompson, and was made possible through the generosity of the Thompson family.
Author: West Coast Environmental Law
Publication Date: November 2014
Pages: 2
Submissions by West Coast Environmental Law to the International Joint Commission : In regard to the application of the Canadian Columbia Inter-Tribal Fisheries Commission concerning the Grand Coulee Dam

This Submission is a response to the International Joint Commission’s (IJC) requests for comments on the application of the Canadian Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fisheries Commission (CCRIFC) to have the IJC enforce the conditions of its Order of Approval for the Grand Coulee Dam and reservoir (th
Author: Gage, Andrew; Bankes, Nigel (assistance)
Publication Date: October 2005
Pages: 10