Press

Greater Victoria Harbour Authority receives highest eco-certification

Leads the way in addressing pollution in Victoria Inner Harbour

The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) has achieved the highest ranking in the Clean Marine BC program, an eco-certification program run by Georgia Strait Alliance. With GVHA’s new five-anchor ratings at four marinas, the program’s top ranked recreational boating facilities now total eight. GVHA is taking proactive measures to clean up Victoria Inner Harbour, identified as the most polluted coastal…

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Statement: Conservation groups respond to decision not to issue emergency protections for endangered whales

The federal government announced today that it refuses to issue an emergency order to protect endangered killer whales under the Species at Risk Act, despite the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans’ recommendation to do so. David Suzuki Foundation, Ecojustice, Georgia Strait Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Raincoast Conservation Foundation, and WWF-Canada…

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Conservation groups take ministers to court to protect endangered killer whales

Six conservation organizations are launching a new lawsuit aimed at protecting endangered Southern Resident killer whales. The suit comes less than a month after a killer whale mother carried her deceased calf for an unprecedented 17 days, drawing worldwide attention to the imminent threats facing the genetically unique population of whales. Ecojustice lawyers asked the Federal Court to review the…

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Conservation organizations respond to Province’s fish farm announcement

It's too long for wild salmon

Vancouver, B.C.—In response to the B.C. government’s announcement this week to introduce new rules for renewing fish farm leases beginning in 2022, conservation groups Georgia Strait Alliance, Watershed Watch and Living Oceans have issued the following statement: “Yesterday’s policy announcement by the Province is a significant step towards defending wild salmon against the threats posed by open net-pen salmon farms.…

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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…

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Groups applaud feds’ fisheries announcement

Renew call for killer whale emergency order

Conservation groups are applauding today’s announcement from Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Dominic LeBlanc and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna that endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales face “imminent threats” to their survival and recovery. Prompted by this assessment, the Ministers also announced immediate fisheries closures in key Southern Resident foraging areas. Faced with declining populations of Chinook…

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Festival of Ocean Films travels to Victoria and Pender Harbour

Official film selection celebrates oceans, orcas and ecosystems

The Festival of Ocean Films, hosted by Georgia Strait Alliance, is on the road to mark its 9th year, travelling to Victoria on May 30 and to the Sunshine Coast’s Pender Harbour on June 9. This year’s screenings carry strong messages about the current state of the world’s oceans to honour World Oceans Day, while also serving to inspire audiences…

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Government is Failing to Protect Wild Salmon from Salmon Farms

Confirms Auditor General report; conservation groups agree

Vancouver—Today, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Julie Gelfand, made it clear that Fisheries and Oceans Canada is not doing enough to monitor and manage the salmon farming industry to protect wild fish and their ecosystems. “This is more evidence that DFO is failing to protect BC wild salmon,” said Stan Proboszcz of Watershed Watch. “The audit highlights…

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Community-business-Indigenous leaders launch ‘Declaration in Defence of Wild Salmon’

Asks BC-ers to support removal of open net-pen fish farms

Today in Vancouver, a diverse group of B.C. community, Indigenous, and business leaders announced the launch of the “Declaration in Defence of Wild Salmon”. The declaration seeks to draw together the growing number of voices calling on the B.C. government to take action on salmon farming by refusing to renew fish farm leases when they expire in June, 2018. The…

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Conservation groups put ministers on notice over Southern Resident killer whale protections

Without action, extinction is near

VANCOUVER – Conservation groups are putting Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Dominic LeBlanc on notice as the groups race to secure protection for endangered Southern Resident killer whales. In an April 4 letter sent on behalf of David Suzuki Foundation, Georgia Strait Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, Raincoast Conservation Foundation and…

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