British Columbia Species at Risk PLUS Pipeline to the West Coast Conversation
The Environment in Canada Podcast episode 73 on the need for a British Columbia species at risk law or act. You can listen to the episode on The Harbinger Media Network, IHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website here.
Dr. Sarah (Sally) Otto, Dr. Peter Thompson, and CPAWS-BC Campaigner Brynna Kagawa-Visentin talk about a recent report that looks at the changing status of imperiled species in British Columbia over the last 15 years — in the absence of a dedicated provincial species at risk act (or law) — and reveals that species at risk in BC have risen, with most changes in status not reflecting genuine recovery.
Please note for context that this is a non-peer-reviewed preprint and the manuscript is currently under consideration for publication at a peer-reviewed journal.
We also discuss the recent announcement by the Alberta Government of their plans to pitch a new oil pipeline to the West Coast following the AB Government’s failure to find a private sector backer – stay tuned to the end! Read Sierra Club Canada’s full release on that subject, and the economic futility of a new pipeline.
Other Resources / Points Regarding Species at Risk:
- Former report on BC Biodiversity.
- Associated paper.
- A recent legal report card on provincial species-at-risk protection (backgrounder on the legal gaps).
- A WWF-Canada report Brynna mentioned regarding grassland birds.
- Dr. Otto points out the huge contribution of tourism to the economy of BC ($9.7 billion of GDP annually), higher than forestry ($1.7B), as well as mining or oil and gas. The importance of a thriving tourist industry, as well as a thriving forestry sector that is sustained by a much smaller land base but focuses on high-end wood products (cabinetry, furniture, heavy duty wood, etc.), would strengthen jobs while moving away from a deforested BC.
Other Resources on Pipelines, Oil, and LNG:
- Canada can and must instead start a rapid transition to a fully renewable economy.
- And here’s a link to sources regarding the health impacts of LNG.
Be sure to send us your questions at info@sierraclub.ca and sign up for email updates from us.
And don’t forget to take action.
Photo by / par Barry Stemshorn