Photo credit: Carla Hunt. Today, the Federal Court of Appeal released its decision regarding six challenges made by the Coldwater Indian Band, the Squamish Nation, the Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribes, and the Tsleil-Waututh Nation regarding consultation with Indigenous communities affected by the Trans Mountain project following the project’s second approval by the federal government last June. In response,…
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B.C. strengthens Climate Accountability Act
Increased accountability measures, but targets don’t align with the best climate science
Today the B.C. government has introduced significant changes to the Climate Change Accountability Act, an important series of reforms to the way we fight climate change in B.C. “B.C. is establishing strong planning and reporting requirements for its actions to fight climate change,” said Andrew Radzik, Georgia Strait Alliance’s Energy Campaigner. “These will demonstrate in detail what is being done…
Read more »Georgia Strait Alliance responds to B.C. Court of Appeal decision on the transport of heavy oils
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay. Today, the B.C. Court of Appeal ruled unanimously that the Province does not have the jurisdiction to regulate the transport of heavy oils through its territory. The provincial government had argued that it should be allowed to use its environmental laws to restrict the transport of bitumen via pipeline, however,…
Read more »New legislation to prop up LNG industry is 5 x the budget of provincial climate plan
photo: alexlmx / stock.adobe.com In a counter-productive move, the Province of BC increases subsidies to the fossil fuel industry in what amounts to five times more than the investment in the new CleanBC climate plan. In response to legislation passed this week that provides these subsidies to the LNG industry in British Columbia, in the form…
Read more »Georgia Strait Alliance shocked as Feds bailout Kinder Morgan’s Texan investors
In response to today’s announcement by federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau that the government will spend $4.5 billion to purchase the existing assets of Kinder Morgan Canada and another unknown billions of dollars to construct the pipeline, the Executive Director of Georgia Strait Alliance Christianne Wilhelmson said: “This is an unprecedented decision and the worst possible outcome imaginable. Investors in…
Read more »Province proposes restrictions on increased bitumen transport
Georgia Strait Alliance commends measures as needed protection for coastal communities and local waters
Today, the Province announced five possible new regulations aimed at protecting our region from the threats of transporting bitumen and heavy oil. Included is the intention, that while a Science Panel conducts research into the unique properties and behaviour of bitumen, that the Province will restrict increases in the transport of this substance. In response, Christianne Wilhelmson, Executive Director of…
Read more »Province of BC announces strong first steps to fight Kinder Morgan
Georgia Strait Alliance lauds efforts to stop 700% increase in tanker traffic
On Thursday, August 10th, the Province of British Columbia made an announcement of their first steps to defend BC’s interests against the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion proposal. Christianne Wilhelmson, Executive Director of Georgia Strait Alliance, made the following statement in response: “The Province’s announcement on Kinder Morgan is a strong commitment to First Nations consultation and reconciliation, to BC’s coastal…
Read more »Citizens set to pack Kinder Morgan public meetings to show lack of social license in BC
Groups expect huge pent up citizen demand to be heard on the unacceptable risks of the project the NEB has so far refused to hear.
The Kinder Morgan pipeline review panel announced today their community meetings schedule to hear from communities impacted by the potential pipeline and tanker expansion project. Community groups, First Nations, and environmental groups expect the meetings will be highly attended by supporters whose voices have been shut out of previous processes. “We’re seeing a massive amount of energy from our community…
Read more »GSA welcomes new provincial spill response legislation
Today, the provincial government introduced amendments to the Environmental Management Act intended to strengthen spill preparedness and response in BC. In response, Christianne Wilhelmson, Executive Director of Georgia Strait Alliance, made the following statement: Given the well-known spill response challenges we currently face in BC for all types of hazardous materials being shipped through our communities, this legislation is an encouraging…
Read more »GSA responds to Province’s announcement on Kinder Morgan
Province confirms that Kinder Morgan’s pipeline project has not met five conditions
The Province of BC cannot support Kinder Morgan’s application for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion based on the evidence the company has filed to date with the National Energy Board (NEB), the Ministry of Environment said this morning. “During the course of the NEB review, the company [Kinder Morgan] has not provided enough information around its proposed spill prevention and…
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