Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity
To become a Child Friendly City, cities should implement a nine-point framework that includes having “strategies for children, regular reports on the state of the city’s children, independent advocates for children, opportunities to listen to children’s views” and other governance measures.
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Fairy Creek, Nature & Conservation
Voices from the Ancestral Forest Frontlines This gathering is in honour of the 1 year milestone of the Ada’itsx/ Fairy Creek blockades, began one year ago on the night of August 9th on the ridge into the headwaters of the unlogged Fairy creek watershed, where... Read more
Article, Food & Health, Nature & Conservation
Physicians, lawyers call on BC to investigate thousands of Heat Dome injuries From WCEL: The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and West Coast Environmental Law Association today warned that BC’s recent Heat Dome may have caused an estimated five... Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation
John Cashore spent 15 years as the elected MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville, serving as Minister of Environment (1991-1993), Aboriginal Affairs (1993-1998), Labour (1997-1998), and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier (2000-2001). He introduced the “Zero AOX” pulp pollution regulation requiring pulp mills to completely eliminate their organochlorine discharges and has been a tireless advocate for the environment.
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation
This poem is a reflection on our annual plague of forest fires and a consideration of what truly must change.
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation
July 31 Deadline for Public Input: BC Hydro’s Completely Inadequate 20-year Plan From the BC Climate Alliance: BC Hydro is asking for public input to their draft 20-year Integrated Resource Plan (the 111 page report is here). This plan is completely inadequate for the... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation
With climate catastrophes erupting daily, hundreds of people from coast to coast visited over 40 MP offices across the country and called on them to take emergency-level action on the climate emergency by stopping fossil fuel expansion and delivering Just Transition... Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation
The Highlands District Community Association (HDCA) is asking the Supreme Court of Canada to decide whether B.C. officials issuing mining permits can ignore climate change as a factor in deciding whether a project goes ahead. The move follows recent cases brought by... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Fairy Creek
I am excited to invite you all to this One Year Anniversary & Ceremonial Celebration. This will be a momentous occasion; a time of unity and possibility. By coming from the city a valuable heartfelt connection will be made. It would be wonderful if we could create a glorious convoy from the cities showing our big hearts and supportive presence. Everybody’s face lights up at Fairy Creek when the Shuttle Bus arrives.
Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation
In Qualicum Beach, the 200-acre rural Estate Residential forest contains a highly-productive and rare old-growth Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystem, that’s known as the scenic gateway to our village. So when a plan for residential development threatened this iconic treasure, the community rallied.
Read more
Article, Energy, Housing, & Buildings
Courtesy of the Times Colonist Photo: Garden suites like this one under construction in Victoria in 2014 are considered “gentle infill,” along with row houses, townhouses, duplexes and secondary suites in homes, writes Trevor Hancock. ADRIAN LAM, TIMES... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity
My heart warmed recently when I read Emily Qian’s poem Trees from a Child’s Perspective on this site. In it she honors the tree and wisely likens the tree to parents. It brought to mind the poem I wrote years ago when my father passed. Thanks Emily.
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Energy, Housing, & Buildings, Nature & Conservation
The Saltspring Trust will be voting on the Rogers 5G-enabled cell tower proposed for Channel Ridge, Tuesday, July 27. So far, the Trust has received 227 letters opposed to this tower, 72 in favour. We have one last opportunity to ask them to make a decision that truly... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity
Careful strategy development is the cornerstone of effective programs. Too often, behavioral change programs are developed based on hunches rather than reliable information regarding the barriers and benefits to a behavior. Developing effective community-based social... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation
Independent researchers tell us that the old growth forests in BC are on the brink of extinction due to continued clearcut logging. Fairy Creek on Vancouver Island is a typical example of how bureaucracies are unable to make the substantial changes needed to prevent... Read more
Article, Energy, Housing, & Buildings
From time to time, fierce debates erupt over proposals to introduce more dense housing into residential neighbourhoods. I suspect that part of the problem is a failure to distinguish between housing that is affordable, social housing and supportive housing, as well as a related concern about loss of property values.
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Fairy Creek, Nature & Conservation
What is going on in Fairy Creek? Why do we need to protect old-growth? What are indigenous perspectives on this issue? What can I do? Creatively United has created these free shareable infographics to help spread the world about the old growth logging at Fairy Creek.... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation
Much has been made about the future of old-growth forests in British Columbia. Global media interest is intense, partly because of the coverage of protestors being arrested while demonstrating against the logging of old-growth on southern Vancouver Island. These arrests were made not for demonstrating, which in British Columbia is generally a lawful activity, but for violating an injunction issued by the British Columbia legal system.
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation
First, let me remind you that we are now at around 400 arrests of peaceful, unarmed people doing the job the premier promised to do: protect the very very very last of the old growth. For this week, I want to draw attention to some of the various court cases going on... Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation
Why on Earth are we spending scarce public resources to prop up the fossil-fuel industries that are the underlying cause of the climate emergency and that we need to wind down? I could understand if the funds were being used to transition those industries and their employees into clean and renewable energy production. But too often, they are used to support business as usual.
Read more
Article, Energy, Housing, & Buildings
I’m pleased to announce that we have just published a new article in Global Environmental Change, entitled “Socio-economic conditions for satisfying human needs at low energy use: An international analysis of social provisioning”. In the article, which was led by my... Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation
Starting Friday June 25, the West Coast saw a record-breaking heatwave. Hundreds of people — mostly seniors and people with chronic illnesses — passed away in the following week due to the heat. Wildfire reduced Lytton, a village that reached close to 50°C, to ashes the very next day. Our hearts are heavy thinking of all those who’ve lost loved ones or cherished places.
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity
GoodWork: https://www.goodwork.ca Director, Sustainable Communities at David Suzuki Foundation A rare senior leadership opportunity to join one of Canada’s leading environmental organization and become an agent of... Read more
Article, Energy, Housing, & Buildings
Make the Switch is a research initiative to better understand homeowners’ motivations and experiences when switching from natural gas to a heat pump. The study will collect information on your costs, your reasons for making the switch, and your experience using a heat... Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation
Will we ever learn? The pandemic is giving us mixed signals. As England’s Prime Minister tells us to forget face masks and social distancing for the good of his voting base, relying on 55% double vaccinated population, the nation is obsessed with Euro football... Read more
Article, Community Trees, Nature & Conservation
There is a vestigial image of Canada – a raw and vast land of forests, lakes and mountains. Forests, most of all. At Confederation, 154 years ago, this was true for most people. Fewer than one in five lived in a city. At the start of the Second World War, close to half the population still lived in rural areas. But this changed rapidly thereafter.
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity
Last week, the Times Colonist announced that for Canada Day, it would be running a full-page pull-out of the Canadian Indigenous Flag. Designed by the late Curtis Wilson (Mulidzas) of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation near Campbell River, it is a revised maple leaf flag with swimming salmon in the side bars and an orca in the maple leaf.
Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation
The B.C. Supreme Court has found the B.C. government infringed the Blueberry River First Nation’s treaty rights by allowing decades of industrial development in their traditional territory. The ruling will likely have significant impacts for industries in that region, notably the natural gas industry.
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Community Creativity
Emily Qian, an 11 year-old BC resident in grade 5, wants people to know “that trees are a priceless treasure. We’ve only been on Earth for a few years, but trees have been here for thousands.” Trees By Emily Qian, Gr. 5 Trees are all long trunks and... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Community Creativity
I’m a Delta, BC resident who began writing poetry as a young girl but really connected with it in earnest in my mid-thirties as a way to explore and understand myself and the wider world. Now approaching 60, poetry and the written word continues to inspire me. I... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Energy, Housing, & Buildings, Nature & Conservation
The list of unworthy corporate recipients of government (read tax-paying citizens) support is long, but surely right at the top must be the fossil-fuel industry, followed by industries such as mining, forestry, agriculture and fisheries (of which more next week).
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Community Creativity
To speak only of beauty and bountiful means Would be the perfect and serene But within this picture of life it seems Are both the best and worst extremes Could there be a place for variance and degree Where one could actually climb the tree Where the almighty dollar... Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation, Zero Waste & Circular Economy
On June 16, the CRD’s Environmental Services Committee passed a motion to request the Province to end land application of biosolids at Hartland. This motion will be submitted for approval to the full CRD Board on July 14. This motion was a result of public pressure... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation
We would be most grateful if you could share the opportunities below with any Indigenous people you know who are engaged in any kind of climate action or initiative. The West Coast Climate Action Network is a new non-profit society: we work to support and promote the... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity
Do you know someone who makes our community a better place? Nominate them for the City of Victoria’s Honorary Citizen Award which celebrates those who have performed outstanding service for the betterment of our community and personal achievements. Nominees must be a... Read more
Article, Community Trees, Nature & Conservation
I came upon a child of God, he was walking along the road, And I asked him, “Where are you going?”, and this he told me, I’m going on down to Fairy Creek, I’m gonna try and save some trees, I’m gonna camp out on the land, I’m gonna try and get my soul free
Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Fairy Creek, Nature & Conservation
British Columbia has the greatest ecological and biological diversity in Canada, from magnificent but highly endangered old-growth temperate rainforests to semi-arid grasslands, from valley-bottom wetlands to high alpine tundra. The BC NDP government can become a... Read more
Article, Fairy Creek, Nature & Conservation
Once upon a time, there was a premier who pretended that saving the magnificent old-growth forests of BC might be of some interest for him. “We are embarking on the journey to transform forestry.” he declared to the media while announcing two-year old-growth... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation
Giki Zero invites Canadians to join them in setting the Guinness World Records title for the most people pledging climate action in one month! Creatively United supports this Guinness Book of Records Climate Action endeavour led by Jo Hand of Giki Zero, one of our... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Community Trees, Fairy Creek, Nature & Conservation
This past summer I watched two dozen cedars slowly die outside my window in False Creek. In a matter of months, they turned from green to rust, stood like candles ready to be lit on a day of mourning. I watched men climb them with chainsaws, slice them, and feed them to the wood chipper. I sat behind my glass door in vigil.
Read more
Article, Fairy Creek, Nature & Conservation
The new ‘War in the Woods’ to protect old-growth forest in Fairy Creek and far beyond raises an important issue that has been neglected. By what right are those trees being cut? Who gets to decide?
Read more
Article, Fairy Creek, Nature & Conservation
From the the Unist’ot’en Solidarity Brigade: Frontline Fundraiser for Land Defenders including the Unist’ot’en and Gidemt’en camps has been extended until Saturday June 19th. Please support the fundraiser if you can, and check out the... Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation
From LeadNow: We are in the global week of action to stop insuring Trans Mountain! From Europe to Africa to the Pacific Islands, and all across North America, folks are organizing actions in their communities to help make Trans Mountain uninsurable. Trans Mountain has... Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation
There are only a few days left for Parliament to pass Bill C-12, the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, before the summer recess. The amended Bill C-12 is not perfect but it’s a much-needed foundation we can build on to make sure Canada never misses... Read more
Article, Fairy Creek, Nature & Conservation
Indigenous leaders, celebrities and scientists are coming together to demand B.C. Premier John Horgan take urgent action to protect the last old growth forests in British Columbia. Join Mark Ruffalo, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, David Suzuki and more in calling on the... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity
GVAT is hiring! We are looking to hire a full time administrative and social media associate for approximately 23 weeks beginning on or about July 5, 2021. While there will be opportunities to interact directly with a broad range of people involved in the alliance,... Read more
Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Fairy Creek, Nature & Conservation
We are organizing a luxury tour bus which has a washroom for Saturday’s event; there is plenty of luggage space to accommodate bikes, camping gear and supplies etc. Please let your friends know that the bus can pick up donations at the pick up points. The cost is $20... Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation
The HDCA’s case presented to the Court of Appeal centred on a failure on the part of the province’s Statutory Decision Maker (since renamed Mines Inspector) to consider climate change impacts before approving a mining permit to OK Industries (OKI) for a bedrock strip mine in the Highlands last year, making his decision unreasonable.
Read more
Article, Zero Waste & Circular Economy
Esquimalt Council adopted a checkout bag bylaw this week. The bylaw will go into effect on August 13, 2021. After this date, there should be no free bags of any kind given by retailers in the municipality. Only paper and reusable bags will be allowed, and the retailer... Read more
Article, Nature & Conservation, Zero Waste & Circular Economy
On other matters related to the Landfill and Mount Work Park, MWC has become an active member of the Peninsula Biosolids Coalition–a group formed to oppose the spreading of biosolids at Hartland Landfill. Biosolids are a dried, processed product produced from sewage... Read more
