Tag Archives: West Coast Environmental Law

Energy

Insurer #17 cuts ties with Trans Mountain pipeline

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Lloyd’s of London syndicate Aspen Insurance announced April 21 it will cut ties with Trans Mountain when its insurance policy expires this summer, making it the 17th company to do so.

In an email to Coal Action Network, a company spokesperson confirmed Aspen “(does) not plan to renew the Trans Mountain Tar Sands Oil Pipeline project” but wouldn’t comment on the decision “as a matter of corporate policy.”

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Energy

Trans Mountain wants to sidestep fire safety bylaws at Burnaby terminal

By John Woodside,  National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Burnaby is fighting back against Trans Mountain’s request to be excused from certain fire safety plans.

In early December, the Crown corporation that is building a pipeline from Edmonton to a Burnaby terminal filed a request to the Canada Energy Regulator asking for a “constitutional declaration” that would allow it to build without having secured proper fire safety permits from the city. Since then, the city has mounted a defence and last week filed sworn affidavits accusing Trans Mountain of dodging critically important fire safety requirements.

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Energy, Indigenous Nations, Justice

How the Blueberry ruling in B.C. is a gamechanger for the Site C dam, extractive industries and Indigenous Rights

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

When B.C. Supreme Court Justice Emily Burke served her ruling on a long-fought case between Blueberry River First Nations and the province in late June, unequivocally determining the B.C. government breached  the Nations’ Treaty Rights by permitting and encouraging widespread  resource extraction, she noted B.C.’s regulatory regime for industrial  development is broken.   

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Environment, Indigenous Nations

Coastal First Nations take steps to protect wild waters of Great Bear Rainforest

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A coalition of coastal First Nations has achieved a significant step towards protecting the wild shores and waters of the Great Bear Rainforest on B.C’s central coast. 

The Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Nuxalk and Wuikinuxv nations signed an agreement with Ottawa and the province of B.C. to do a feasibility study for a national marine conservation area reserve encompassing a significant section of the coast and offshore marine waters alongside the Great Bear Rainforest (GBR). 

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Energy, Environment, Indigenous Nations

Ridley Island: Vopak’s Proposed Prince Rupert Export Terminal

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Ridley Island in Prince Rupert, B.C., is home to the region’s primary export  terminal. Freight trains rumble in 24/7, carrying goods like grain, coal  and — more recently — liquified petroleum gas, commonly known as  propane. Massive ships in the adjacent deep waters are loaded with this  cargo, mostly destined for transport across the Pacific. 

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