The Great Bear Sea, home to Canada’s first marine protected area network, has been protected by an oil tanker moratorium since the 1970s which was formalized in legislation in 2019. The law prohibits oil tankers carrying crude oil or persistent oil products from docking, loading or unloading in north coast communities from the Alaska border to the mainland coast adjacent to the northern tip of Vancouver Island.

However, the Great Bear Sea is under threat. In November, Canada and Alberta entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in which they committed to prioritize  a new crude oil pipeline and tankers project to the west coast, among other climate-backwards commitments. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said that her preference would be for the new pipeline to go through northern British Columbia and the federal government has committed to “adjust” the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act to allow crude oil tankers on the north Pacific coast if required.  

A north coast crude oil pipeline and tankers project would pose an unacceptable risk of a catastrophic spill that would irreparably harm the rich ecology of the area and the coastal economies that depend on it. 

Thankfully, Coastal First Nations have stated their unwavering opposition to lifting the tanker ban, the Province of BC is staunchly opposed and civil society groups are against it. However, it is crucial that federal MPs and the Minister of Transport, who are responsible for the federal tanker ban, hear this message from all of us. 

You can take action by contacting your local MP and the Minister of Transport to demand that they stand up for the tanker ban.

_{^{Top photo: Ryan Miller}}