Media Releases

Williams Lake, Secwepemc Territory – Andrew Gage, a staff lawyer from West Coast Environmental Law, is attending this week’s North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) meeting to hear firsthand how wildfires and other climate-related impacts have affected northern communities – and how th

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Climate and Energy, Sue Big Oil, Community Climate Adaptation, Climate Solutions

Ottawa, Ont.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Fish & Wildlife, Climate and Energy, Marine Protection

All projects that pose a climate risk must receive a rigorous assessment, say environmental lawyers

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Canada's Environmental Reviews, Environmental Assessment, Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers, Climate Solutions

Environmental lawyers welcome government’s commitment to better ocean protection

Topics: Marine Protection, Protected Areas

Environmental groups and intervenors warn of further legal challenges

Topics: Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers, Marine Protection

VICTORIA, Territory of the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations – Lawyers with West Coast Environmental Law applauded BC’s Budget 2019 for delivering on funding promises to implement the government’s climate plan, CleanBC.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Environmental Assessment, Climate and Energy, Climate Solutions

VANCOUVER, BC, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Territories – Environmental lawyers are optimistic about new legal protections for free expression in BC, after the reintroduction of a bill to protect British Columbians from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP).

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Canada's Environmental Reviews

VANCOUVER, BC, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Territories - The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources voted unanimously yesterday to travel to select regions in Canada during its study of Bill C-69, which introduces important measures to improve federal

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Canada's Environmental Reviews, Environmental Assessment, Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers

Ensuring federal assessment of high-carbon projects is critical if Canada is to step up Paris Agreement ambitions at COP 24

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Canada's Environmental Reviews, Environmental Assessment

But lawyers say more must be done to ensure independent evidence and safeguard climate

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Environmental Assessment

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – West Coast Environmental Law is calling for stronger and more consistent legal standards for Canada’s marine protected areas (MPAs) and other conservation areas, following the release of a new report from a National Advisory Panel appointed to offer guidance to the federal government regarding categories and associated protection standards for federal MPAs.

Topics: Fish & Wildlife, Marine Protection, Protected Areas, Great Bear Sea

Pushback is an attempt to bypass crucial environmental oversight

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Canada's Environmental Reviews, Environmental Assessment, Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Fish & Wildlife, Marine Protection, Protected Areas, Great Bear Sea

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – The federal government’s “first step” to proceed with the Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project fails to address the critical issue of Indigenous consultation, says West Coast Environmental Law.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers, Indigenous Law, Indigenous Law

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – Lawyers at West Coast Environmental Law issued the following statement in response to the

Topics: Indigenous Law, Indigenous Law, Marine Protection, Protected Areas

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories - West Coast Environmental Law Research Foundation welcomed a

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws

Trappers’ stories illustrate cumulative impact of industrial activity on lands, waters and wildlife

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Lands & Forests, Fish & Wildlife, Healthy Waters, Indigenous Law, Indigenous Law

Passing of Bill C-68 and C-69 a critical step in fixing Canada’s broken environmental laws, but supporting regulations will be key to the Bills’ success

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Canada's Environmental Reviews, Environmental Assessment, Fish & Wildlife

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – West Coast Environmental Law Association is encouraged by the release of the BC government’s

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Canada's Environmental Reviews, Environmental Assessment, Lands & Forests, Sue Big Oil

BC communities say new owner must honour NEB pipeline process Prime Minister Trudeau put in place

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers

Judge slams federal Environment Minister for failure to protect at-risk caribou herds

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – Lawyers and local environmental advocates are celebrating a victory in the Federal Court of Canada on behalf of endangered caribou herds in British Columbia.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Fish & Wildlife, Environmental Legal Aid

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – West Coast Environmental Law Association welcomes the BC government’s introduction of the Protection of Public Participation Act, a much-needed law that aims to protect British Columbians from costly SLAPP lawsuits (strategic lawsuits against public parti

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Environmental Legal Aid

OTTAWA – A report released today by the leaders of Canada’s top environmental organizations reviews the progress of the federal government in meeting its platform and mandate commitments on environmental issues across the country.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Canada's Environmental Reviews, Environmental Assessment, Lands & Forests, Fish & Wildlife, Healthy Waters, Climate and Energy, Indigenous Law, Marine Protection

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – Twenty-three allied organizations – including environmental organizations, legal experts, social justice and community groups – are calling on the provincial government to introduce a series of bold reforms in its upcoming overhaul of BC’s environmental assessment (EA) regime.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Environmental Assessment

VANCOUVER, BC, Coast Salish Territories – Environmental lawyers are celebrating the news that Bill C-48, the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, has passed the House of Commons.

Topics: Strong Environmental Laws, Healthy Waters, Climate and Energy, Tar Sands, Pipelines & Tankers, Marine Protection, Protected Areas, Great Bear Sea