Canada’s ocean protection ripple could become a wave
Thursday, June 8, 2017 Twenty-five years after Canada proposed the idea of World Oceans Day to the United Nations, people around the world are still celebrating on June 8. It's…
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Kinder Morgan’s IPO: Risk > Reward
Thursday, June 1, 2017 Kinder Morgan’s risky Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion just got a whole lot riskier, just as the company was taking steps to offload some of that risk…
Wading into the science on sea level rise – BC lags behind
Thursday, May 18, 2017 If you’ve been following BC’s sea-level woes extra closely, you’ll know that planning for a sea-level increase of “1 metre by 2100” has become a kind…
What’s your vision for Canada’s ocean in 2020?
Thursday, May 18, 2017 Oceans Day 2017 is approaching, and like many Canadians, we think it’s the perfect time of year to celebrate the seas. To pump up the excitement…
Why the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act is worth celebrating
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 On May 12, 2017, the federal government introduced Bill C-48, the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, for first reading in Parliament. You could say that the Act…
#BCElxn2017 is good news for the environment
Wednesday, May 10, 2017 There will be a lot of discussion for weeks, maybe months, about who won the 2017 BC election (and who lost). But regardless of which party…
What does it mean for Chevron when glaciers have the right to sue?
Wednesday, May 3, 2017 Last month, several major natural features were recognized – by governments and courts – as legal persons. First, the New Zealand government enacted a new law…
Reigniting a spirit of outrage on Earth Day
Saturday, April 22, 2017 In honour of Earth Day, Staff Counsel Linda Nowlan looks at how the green movement can – and must – do more to keep the planet…
Expert Panel report on environmental assessment review – an overview
Wednesday, April 12, 2017 On April 5th, the federal government released the report of its Expert Panel that has been reviewing Canada’s environmental assessment (EA) processes. The report, Building Common…
Climate in the 2017 BC Election
Wednesday, April 12, 2017 In an earlier post we compared the BC Liberal and BC NDP Climate plans in advance of the upcoming election. Now that the BC Green Party…
United we beat Enbridge: Celebrating the defeat of Northern Gateway with the people of Haida Gwaii
Monday, April 10, 2017 West Coast Environmental Law was happy to accept an invitation to attend a celebration in Gaaw (Old Massett) on March 25, co-hosted by Haida Gwaii CoAST…
Solidarity with the Secwepemc: Yes to a healthy environment, no to Ajax Mine
Friday, April 7, 2017 On April 1st, the Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund team had an opportunity to visit some of our grantees in Secwepemc territory/Kamloops and participate in a declaration…
Wresting authority from the regulators: The proper role of the National Energy Board in environmental assessments
Friday, March 31, 2017 It is not every day that we have an opportunity to effect transformative legal change. It is natural, then, that when last summer a number of…
Where there’s a will, there’s a way – Canada’s commitment to marine protected areas
Tuesday, March 28, 2017 “Canadian governments can and must do much more to protect Canadian ecosystems and biodiversity,” says the latest report from the House of Commons Standing Committee on…
Identifying Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Areas – a red herring?
Thursday, March 23, 2017 Baynes Sound and Lambert Channel – the marine area between Vancouver Island, Denman Island and Hornby Island – has been identified as an Ecologically and Biologically…
A solemn promise: Indigenous perspectives on the Douglas Treaties
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 West Coast's RELAW Project Lead Maxine Hayman Matilpi shares stories from a recent conference that brought together historians, legal scholars and Indigenous people who are direct…
Back to schools: Canada’s fish happy with new report, look forward to amended law
Monday, March 13, 2017 Fish across Canada breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the top recommendation from the Parliamentary Committee on Fisheries and Oceans’ report reviewing the Fisheries…
A Kinder Morgan snapshot
Tuesday, March 14, 2017 It’s been a while since we’ve updated you about Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker expansion project (KMX). A lot has happened in the past…
Inviting local governments to demand climate accountability
Friday, March 10, 2017 On Thursday, February 23, Staff Counsel Andrew Gage appeared before the City of Victoria’s Mayor, Lisa Helps, and its Council to talk about climate accountability. This…