Energy and Climate Change

OTTAWA -– An unprecedented delegation of First Nations, commercial fishing, tourism representatives and environmental groups from Canada’s Pacific North Coast is in Ottawa today, calling on the federal government to ban oil tankers from the region.

The federal government is currently considering allowing over 200 oil tankers per year to travel through some of the most dangerous waters in the world, despite polls that show 80 percent of British Columbians support banning crude oil tankers.

Vancouver, B.C. - Environmental groups are praising the vote today in the House of Commons in support of a legislated tanker ban for Canada’s Pacific North Coast. The motion was put forward by Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen whose riding includes the Great Bear Rainforest and thousands of coastal jobs that depend on a healthy marine environment.

Vancouver, B.C. - Environmental groups are once again applauding MPs who are taking the necessary steps to secure a permanent tanker ban on Canada’s Pacific North Coast. A Private Member’s Bill was tabled in the House of Commons today by Vancouver Quadra Liberal MP Joyce Murray, proposing a ban on crude oil tanker traffic in Hecate Strait, Dixon Entrance and Queen Charlotte Sound.

SOINTULA, B.C.— If Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline is approved, Canadian taxpayers could be on the hook for billions of dollars to cover the clean up and compensation costs in the event of a catastrophic oil tanker spill, claims Living Oceans Society in a report titled Financial Vulnerability Assessment: Who Would Pay for Oil Tanker Spills Associated with the Northern Gateway Pipeline written by the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Victoria.

February 24, 2011

VANCOUVER – An array of community and environmental groups, and business and fishing interests are expressing shock and disappointment with outgoing Premier Gordon Campbell’s decision to go against the wishes of the majority of British Columbians and side with the premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan in asking the Prime Minister to defeat a bill that would permanently ban oil tankers through B.C.’s Pacific North Coast.

SOINTULA, B.C.— A report by Living Oceans Society has identified numerous safety concerns associated with double-hull tankers, including corrosion and stress levels, that make the vessels an unsuitable panacea for oil spill prevention.

Vancouver, B.C. – Enbridge is attempting to dampen mounting opposition to their Northern Gateway proposal by reassuring Canadians that they will use “state of the art” technology in an oil spill cleanup – even though there has been no improvement to those same ineffective methods which were used by BP in the Gulf of Mexico catastrophe one year ago today.

Vancouver, B.C. -- On World Oceans Day, groups working to protect B.C.’s coast from oil spills are congratulating the federal NDP for choosing to make their first substantive policy proposal as Canada’s Official Opposition a private member’s bill to ban oil supertankers from Canada’s Pacific North Coast.

VANCOUVER, B.C. – A new report released today shines a light on the dangers associated with transporting tar sands oil by Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway project, both along the pipeline pathway and on B.C.’s sensitive coast, which massive oil tankers would be navigating  for the first time. The report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Pembina Institute and Living Oceans Society, has also been endorsed by nine British Columbia organizations,

Sointula, B.C. – Transport Canada’s review of the marine transportation components for Enbridge’s Northern Gateway project offers empty reassurances on the safety of the proposed oil tanker routes. Due to the fact that the studies reviewed were paid for and conducted by Enbridge, it is unsurprising that a summary of the reports supports Enbridge’s position.