Media Releases

Ottawa, ON – Experts from across the country are gathering this week in Ottawa for a highly anticipated “meeting of the minds” to help shape the future of environmental assessment (EA) in Canada.

Vancouver, BC, Coast Salish Territories– In a brief released today, West Coast Environmental Law, supported by First Nations, scientists and conservation groups, is calling for Canada’s Fisheries Minister to act immediately on his mandate to “restore lost protections” for fish ha

Vancouver, BC, Coast Salish Territories. Environmental lawyers offered some cautious words of praise for the joint statement made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Barack Obama.

West Coast Environmental Law Association’s Executive Director & Senior Counsel Jessica Clogg issued the following statement in reaction to yesterday’s climate announcements:

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PARIS – Legal researchers from Vanuatu and Canada today released a report, Taking Climate Justice into our own Hands, which explains the legal basis for climate-impacted countries to set the rules for climate damages lawsuits and how those rules can be enforced against international foss

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Vancouver, British Columbia, Coast Salish Territories– (November 13, 2015) – A broad coalition of northerners, environmental groups and First Nations today applauded Prime Minister Trudeau for his act of leadership in directing Transport Minister Marc Garneau to formalize an oil tanker b

Vancouver, Coast Salish Territory: West Coast Environmental Law issued the following statement regarding today’s release by the Auditor General of her report Managing the Cumulative Effects of Natural Resource Development in BC. 

Vancouver.  Andrew Gage, Staff Counsel and head of the Climate Change program at the West Coast Environmental Law Association, commented on the BC Government announcement today that the

VANCOUVER – Legal organizations reacted today to the news that the provincial government has removed a problematic provision from its proposed new Society Act.

VANCOUVER, COAST SALISH TERRITORIES– The Federal Court of Canada has ruled that Canada failed to uphold its constitutional duties to the Mikisew Cree First Nation when it rammed through sweeping changes to federal environmental laws in 2012.

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Vancouver.  West Coast Environmental Law is calling for nominations for the Dr. Andrew Thompson award.

VANCOUVER. Environmental lawyers have raised serious concerns over proposed new federal regulations that would allow aquaculture facilities to dump aquatic drugs, pesticides and fish waste into wild fish habitat with impunity.

First Nations, 2 in 3 British Columbians deny Northern Gateway permission to proceed

Members of the press are invited to attend a joint announcement in Vancouver by a coalition of First Nations and ci

VANCOUVER. Leading environmental organizations are rejecting the British Columbia government proposal for forest tenure change that would increase the amount of land under the control of logging companies in the form of Tree Farm Licences.

Regulations allow ministers to blanket-authorize pollution in fish-bearing waters despite widespread opposition, say environmental lawyers

Environmental lawyers say removal of an important oversight leaves environment and communities at risk

VANCOUVER – Today Bill 4 (the Park Amendment Act) is set to become law, despite widespread opposition from the BC public and a consortium of leading environmental organizations and notable park advocates.

Vancouver.  West Coast Environmental Law today held Twitter Moot 2014 – an on-line court-appeal argued over Twitter and featuring law students from across Canada.  The winners of this unique social media event were Erin Gray and Mae Price of the University of Victoria.  The two tweeters were also