Key Issue: Environment & Climate Change

British Columbia’s framework for disaster management has been severely tested in recent years. The effects of climate change and extreme weather events have had profound impact on our province, and it has become apparent that we collectively must adjust to a new normal of prevention and preparedness to mitigate impacts to the safety, health, and […]

In 2018, the Government of Canada began to use provisions of the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) to pressure the Province of BC into taking more aggressive action to protect Southern Resident Killer Whales and Mountain caribou, including the potential for full closures of large areas of backcountry and coastal regions. The absence of […]

British Columbia has several thousand kilometres of coastline along which communities are located. Likewise, Fraser River and other rivers flow through BC communities that are vulnerable to flooding. Floods from rivers and oceans could destroy or affect residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural properties as well as affect transportation means (roads, highways, bridges) and cause widespread […]

Brownfields are an ongoing problem in communities across Canada. They affect both large cities and small rural municipalities, and can be any size – from small, former gas stations to large chemical processing sites. Brownfields can be defined as “abandoned, vacant, derelict, or underutilized commercial or industrial properties where past actions have resulted in actual […]

Plastic, long believed to be a miracle material that has solved and continues to solve several needs of humankind while making lives easier, is now emerging as a most environmentally damaging issue the world is facing especially from cheap “single use” plastics that are not reusable and recyclable. British Columbia, needs to take action to […]

Supply chain resilience is a lesson that we learned because of the pandemic. As countries weathered wave after wave of infections owing to the pandemic, resources were stretched thin, and industries were halted due to government-mandated shutdowns. One commodity’s supply chain has been neglected in the discussion of supply chain resilience, and that is the […]

The purpose of Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) is to provide assistance to individuals who are unable to purchase insurance coverage. Unfortunately, the program has remained largely unchanged over the last 50 years and it is failing to fulfill its intended purpose in a world experiencing the destructive impacts of climate change. There is a desperate […]

Resource industries are vital to Canada’s provincial and national economies. After more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian economy is recovering. Governments have established strong climate action goals, and resource industries are taking significant measures to reduce emissions. Lack of clarity about how governments plan to balance recovery and climate goals is […]

In response to the recent flooding and damage to transportation infrastructure across British Columbia, Fiona Famulak, President and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce, released the following statement: “The safety of people is always the top priority and I want to express my support and appreciation for the thousands of emergency personnel and volunteers […]

Abandoned boats are a growing problem and have economic, social, and environmental impacts on local communities across Canada. They can pollute the marine environment, harm local businesses such as tourism and fisheries, damage infrastructure, interfere with navigation, and pose safety risks to Canadians. The Government of Canada, through its Oceans Protection Plan, is working hard […]