Media Releases

The biodiversity crisis demands immediate action, environmental advocates say

Legal analysis highlights current shortcomings and recommendations for strengthening national policy

Canada urgently needs a national strategy and accountability mechanisms to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and advance environmental justice, as proposed by Bill C-226. We call on the Senate to prioritize and expedite the final vote on Bill C-226 as soon as possible. Canada must confront the impacts of environmental racism and advance environmental justice.

Environmental and public interest groups are expressing frustration over proposed amendments to the Impact Assessment Act introduced in the Budget Implementation Act.

xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/VANCOUVER

Today, lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law are celebrating Canada’s signing of the High Seas Treaty on the one-year anniversary of the agreement.

Lawyers highlight need for urgency & increased ambition in forthcoming regulations

xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/VANCOUVER 

Environmental groups call on the BC government to deliver on its long-delayed promise to establish a public participation funding program for environmental assessments

Biodiversity & ecosystem health to be legally established as ‘overarching priorities’ for all sectors 

OTTAWA | TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE – With six weeks to go until the UN Climate Change Conference COP28, a coalition of leaders of

“This is not the win Alberta was hoping for,” say environmental lawyers

Decision expected this Friday in Supreme Court of Canada reference case

Mandatory measures are welcome, but more action needed to close loopholes and address scrubber washwater

Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa — Alberta’s superior court today dismissed attempts by former Premier Jason Kenney and the Alberta government to throw out a defamation lawsuit brought forward by five environmental groups.

Unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe Territories [Ottawa, ON] – This week, the federal government is defending its Impact Assessment Act (IAA) (formerly Bill C-69) at the Supreme Court of Canada.

xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/VANCOUVER

xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/VANCOUVER

Federal biodiversity accountability law a “must” for addressing the nature crisis, environmental lawyers say

Amidst global climate and nature summits, the Green Budget Coalition detailed the federal investments needed to accelerate climate action and reverse biodiversity loss.

West Coast Environmental Law applauds local government officials at the 2022 Union of BC Municipalities Convention who passed two resolutions this morning in support of a provincial law to prioritize biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Court dismisses defamation lawsuit against Qualicum Beach residents

Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa — Environmental groups Environmental Defence, West Coast Environmental Law, Stand.earth, Dogwood and the Wilderness Committee have launched legal proceedings against Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and the Alberta government for defamatory statements that di

Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa — Environmental groups are demanding that Premier Jason Kenney retract statements and issue an apology for communications they say are defamatory and directly contrary to the findings of the Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns.

Lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law Association welcome commitments for environmental and climate action in today’s federal Speech from the Throne, and say Canadians will be looking to the federal government for tangible steps to deliver on these and other key promises in the coming months.

xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/VANCOUVER—Time to get to work on climate action and a just recovery, say enviro lawyers.

xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) & səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/VANCOUVER – West Coast Environmental Law congratulates the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xai'xais, Nuxalk and Wuikinuxv Nations, Parks Canada and the BC provincial government for collaborating on an important step