Tag Archives: Gov of BC

Action Group advocates for province-wide transit service

By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A Nelson activist group is calling for a province-wide travel coach system in order to dovetail into the Province’s Clean Transportation Action Plan.

The Nelson and Area Action Group for Better Public Transportation claims a public inter-city bus system is one of the more important aspects in lowering emissions in the province.

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Provincial Biologist visits Cortes Island; Second Western Screech Owl discovered

A provincial biologist visited Cortes Island over the weekend. Emily Upham-Mills is an ecosystems biologist with the Ministry of Water, Lands and Natural Resource Stewardship and an important member of the team working with the Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) on the Western Screech Owl Project

Helen Hall, Executive Director of FOCI, explained, “Emily very kindly came up on the weekend to talk to the community. This project is really important for FOCI. We’re doing really interesting scientific work and that data is going back both provincially and federally. It puts us in the spotlight with this particular species. It’s a project that’s running for three years. We’re in the second year of trying to discover whether there are Western Screech Owls on Cortes Island.” 

Continue reading Provincial Biologist visits Cortes Island; Second Western Screech Owl discovered

Will B.C.’s shift to clean transportation take rural communities along for the ride? ​​​​​​​

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The B.C. government needs to ensure rural and Indigenous communities are not left in the dust as the province shifts gears to achieve a net-zero future and a clean transportation network, a coalition of climate and community groups say. 

The province is in the process of shaping its Clean Transportation Action Plan (CTAP), but so far, B.C.’s core strategy to reduce emissions is making the switch to single-passenger electric vehicles in urban areas, says Eric Doherty, a transportation planning consultant and member of Climate Justice Victoria. 

Continue reading Will B.C.’s shift to clean transportation take rural communities along for the ride? ​​​​​​​

Greens Take Lead to Stop NDAs from Silencing Victims

By  Zak Vescera, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Susan MacRae wants to talk about what happened to her, but she can’t.  

As a young girl, MacRae  signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that prohibits her from discussing  sexual abuse she suffered, even with family members or therapists. 

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An invisible climate killer is lurking behind B.C.’s LNG boom

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Invisible to the naked eye, undetectable by smell and 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide for its  short-term warming impact on the climate, methane is explosive, toxic  and can make helicopters fall out of the sky. It’s like something out of a superhero movie — or a bad dream.

About half of Canada’s reported methane emissions  are produced by the oil and gas industry, both from regular operations  and leaks. But much of the climate damage caused by the sector’s methane  pollution goes undetected due to weak regulations.

Continue reading An invisible climate killer is lurking behind B.C.’s LNG boom