Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
When a humpback whale dies, it is — and should be — personal, says Jackie Hildering of the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS).
A young female humpback named Spike was found dead in the shallows of Malcolm Island off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, B.C., on Sunday.
Continue reading ‘Absolutely gutting’: Mourning the death of Spike the humpback whaleCanada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
On 11 days this summer and early fall, Quadra Island had no local paramedics available for emergency medical calls, data from the emergency responders’ union shows.
The ferry-dependent community of 2,700 residents has acute staff shortages, as do many rural communities in B.C. On Quadra, three of four permanent part-time paramedic positions are vacant, Cindy Leong, a spokesperson for BC Emergency Health Services, wrote in an email.
Continue reading ‘It’s a broken system that needs fixing,’ say emergency responders about B.C.’s rural paramedic shortagesCanada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Canada may have the longest total coastline in the world, but it still doesn’t have a solid understanding of the role nearshore ecosystems can play in sinking greenhouse gas emissions to combat the climate crisis, marine ecologist Julia Baum says.
“We’re not really accounting for ocean climate solutions right now, which is ironic because we have three oceans.”
That will change with the launch of an ambitious research initiative to produce a national assessment of the “blue carbon” storage capacity of Canada’s salt marshes, seagrass meadows and kelp forests, said Baum, a principal investigator and University of Victoria professor.
Continue reading Researchers look to Canada’s oceans to sink planet-warming carbonCanada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A parliamentary committee wants Ottawa to limit the environmental damage and plug response gaps for marine cargo spills after a container ship lost more than 100 sea cans and was immobilized by a stubborn fire on the B.C. coast last year.
Continue reading Canada’s not prepared to handle marine cargo spills, House committee findsCanada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The BC Green Party has tabled legislation to uniformly protect bear dens, which double as winter nurseries, across the province.
Adam Olsen, Green MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, said the party’s private member’s bill is timely with bears bulking up before their winter hibernation — a critical period for pregnant sows, which give birth to their cubs in the safety of their dens.
Continue reading BC Greens push for provincewide protection for bear den ‘nurseries’
