3M has reached a US$7.35-billion settlement agreement to resolve approximately 115,000 to 120,000 personal injury claims related to exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used to fight fuel fires, marking another major development…
Court documents show that CPPIB is trying to throw out a climate lawsuit launched by young Canadians – by denying that it has a fiduciary duty to its contributors and beneficiaries. Toronto, ON | Traditional territories of the Wendat, Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee,... Read more
Bill C-30 Pest Control Products Act allows Ministers in the government to override scientific decisions on the use of pesticides previously banned by Health Canada. This marks the most significant setback in Canadian pesticide regulation in over a generation,... Read more
Hundreds of Canadians turned up to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board’s (CPPIB) public meetings across the country this past October to ask how their retirement savings are being invested. But despite people lining up at the microphones…
Every evening, Vancouver’s skies fill with crows as they fly across the city at sunset. Whether you are a resident or new to Vancouver, this natural marvel has a way of sparking curiosity.
Learn where the candidates for the Esquimalt-Colwood (including Vic West + View Royal) stand on a variety of issues. Hosted by the citizen-led South Island Climate Action Network (SI-CAN) and the Gorge Waterway Action Society. Moderator: Judith Cullington PROVINCIAL... Read more
The Issue We the signed residents of British Columbia, call upon the Province of B.C. to repeal (or amend) BC Bill-44 (2023), in order to restore public hearings and municipal powers over zoning, which are being taken away by the bill. We do so, because Bill 44 is: 1.... Read more
On October 26, 15 young Canadians will attend Federal Court in Vancouver to ask the court to order Canada to produce a real, science-based Climate Recovery Plan – not just the legislated 2050 target, but a plan with actual mechanisms behind it. The trial is... Read more
Everyone is applauding Mark Carney for standing up for Canada in the face of Donald Trump’s assault on us. And of course we need to do that. But Carney’s strategy — doubling down on “a series of nation-building projects in energy, in trade, critical minerals, transport, data, and beyond,” as he noted in an April address…
Use this easy letter-writing tool from Endangered Ecosystems Alliance. Question local candidates before the Oct 24 election Do you support ending the logging of old-growth forests within an established time frame, and will you advocate for this in your party? Will you... Read more
Creatively United for the Planet Society, the Gorge Waterway Action Society, Esquimalt Climate Organizers (ECO) and Esquimalt United Church’s Social Justice Team hosted a Municipal All-Candidates event on Monday, October 5th to an overflow crowd at Esquimalt... Read more
The expansionary actions of the fossil-fuel industry, governments and private and public-sector investors, in Canada and around the world, amount to ecocide. While not yet technically a crime, their actions are morally unacceptable.
There’s something quite satisfying about restoring nature and making a very tiny part of the world better. I suppose I’ve always known that, but it really struck home when we purchased the place we were going to retire to 15-years ago. We were still working fulltime,... Read more
Thanks for joining us (or registering) for Protecting Our Communities in a World on Fire. There were over 400 of you who tuned in, and of those who took the poll at the start of the webinar, 96% indicated you had experienced some level of impact from the wildfires... Read more
We live in an era of polycrisis — defined as a situation in which “crises in multiple global systems become causally entangled in ways that cause major human harm,” according to the Cascade Institute at Royal Roads University. The institute identifies 14 global systemic stresses that create systemic risk, including “climate change, biodiversity loss…
As wildfires rage across Canada, Pacheedaht Elder is sounding the alarm to save Vancouver Island’s last ancient forests. In British Columbia, old-growth forests continue to fall to industrial logging, while authorities stand by. Let’s make Bill Jones’... Read more
The Haida Gwaii goshawk (Accipiter gentilis laingi) is facing a real threat of local extinction. At the same time, the American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus) is vanishing from the Skeena Natural Resource Region quickly because too much mature and old-growth... Read more
In June, I shared my thoughts on how we can end capitalism, and build for ourselves in its place a kind, green, cooperative economy. This invites the obvious question: how? We need to do so because capitalism is driving our world to chaos and collapse. Its selfish... Read more
This free downloadable e-book for parents of children age 0 – 12, is filled with creative activities, practical tips, nature activities and climate friendly solutions. It will spark environmental awareness, foster nature stewardship and make sustainable habits a... Read more
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization describes an agri-food system as encompassing everything from “field to fork.” Unfortunately, Canada’s new National Food Security Strategy fails to pay much attention to either the field or the fork end of the system.
The BC Forest Practices Board calls itself “BC’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices”. The Board is the BC public’s only avenue for holding logging companies and the government accountable when either transgress a narrow range of forest-related... Read more
Working collaboratively with members of the Peninsula Biosolids Coalition, Creatively United is happy to report that our collective efforts (see our biosolids video) have finally resulted in a big win for our region. The Capital Regional District (CRD) has just... Read more
“Nature Vancouver” introduces its upcoming event, “Birds and Butterflies: Yew Lake Trail Walk,” fostering enjoyment and conservation of the city’s natural environment.
The Carney government recently released its National Food Security Strategy. Unfortunately, the strategy only serves to show that the government doesn’t really understand food security, particularly when it comes to the environment and health…
As the NDP government and the forest industry continue to clear cut on unceded Pacheedaht lands and wildfires rage throughout BC and Canada, Elder Bill Jones calls again for the protection of the old-growth forests he calls his cathedral.
Drought Ready analyzes the last decade of droughts and drought management in B.C. and offers practical guidance to move away from reactive crisis response and toward proactive drought planning. The authors focus on the provincial government’s foundational role in... Read more
Readers of CRD Watch or the Creatively United for the Planet blog, will likely be familiar with recent articles about the felling of trees by the CRD in Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. Like Wooden Tombstones: The Latest Tree Decimation in Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park... Read more
About the Strategy As mandated in the National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act, the federal government must publish the official Strategy by the end of 2026. The Strategy must: Identify and address environmental... Read more
I have noted several times recently in these columns that Mark Carney’s mandate letter to his cabinet a year ago does not identify the environment as one of the government’s seven priorities; indeed, the word ‘environment’…
The BC Heat Collaborative will officially launch at the end of this month, coinciding with the 5 year anniversary of the 2021 BC Heat Dome. The launch includes an event at Vancouver City Hall on Sunday June 28th, 1-2:30pm. More details on the Vancouver event here. How... Read more
Released this month, this handbook offers a practical path forward for provincial decision-makers to achieve universal water metering within the next decade. Universal water metering supports conservation, enables fair and transparent cost recovery, enhances overall... Read more
To offer insight on how British Columbians want to move into an increasingly uncertain water future, this brief analyzes trends over 10 years of surveys and polls on public attitudes on fresh water in B.C. The authors highlight three crosscutting takeaways and the... Read more
Victoria, B.C. lək̓ʷəŋən territory: New research from the POLIS Wildfire Resilience Project, based at the University of Victoria’s Centre for Global Studies, recommends a transformative shift within the provincial government to address the growing wildfire crisis in... Read more
The 2026 Climate Plan: 100% Renewable and Resilient Saanich will be presented to Saanich, BC Council on Monday, June 22nd for approval. Share your thoughts on the 2026 Climate Plan with Council, email council@saanich.ca. Attend the meeting in person or online (learn... Read more
Right now, the BC Government is consulting with people across the province on next year’s provincial budget. This is your chance to encourage the BC Government to invest in protecting nature. Protecting nature is key to thriving communities, healthy ecosystems, and a... Read more
The NDP Budget Committee is accepting written submissions for its 2027 Budget. What should we be asking for? You can make up to three recommendations, with an explanation for each. Participate by using the submission form HERE. We have set up a google doc to share... Read more
The Government of Canada is proposing major legislative changes that would make it easier for mega-corporations to profit while our communities and the planet suffer the consequences. Act now. See email template to send critical feedback to Prime Minister Carney and... Read more
Six First Nations, BC and Canada will preserve and steward a large chunk of the Central Coast. That means no pipelines. The area will be protected under Indigenous law, and known as Mia-yaltwa Ha’lidzogm hoon, pronounced “Me-ah-yall-twa Ha-lee-joh-gom hOH-own,”... Read more
Oil and gas companies are making skyrocketing profits — an extra $60 billion within a year. The federal government has the power to step in. Instead of letting corporations profit off global instability while people struggle to pay bills, it should impose a 75%... Read more
Introduction If you think of capitalism as the global entanglement of everything financial and economic, then for sure, it feels like a pretty wild dream to imagine that we could disentangle it all and establish something different. It is a pretty wild dream, because... Read more
Connect with nature by enjoying some of these simple fun things to do outdoors with children, family and friends. Bird names might be half the fun, but the real joy of birding goes far beyond. There’s something deeply rewarding about slowing down, tuning in and... Read more
I’d like to shine a spotlight on one of the South Island Prosperity Partnership’s members: The Pacific Northwest Economic Region. (PNWER) Two years ago, I wrote an Open Letter to SIPP. In the letter, I asked them the following question: “SIPP’s membership includes an... Read more
The New Forest Act Roadshow launches this week across British Columbia to dispel the following myths about forestry in BC. MYTH #1: Mill closures are mostly about tariffs and markets Reality: Markets matter. But depleted forests matter too. Good timber is becoming... Read more
Is killing wolves ever justified as a conservation tool? And what does it say about humans — and our relationship with wildlife — when we choose “predator reduction” over real solutions? For over a decade, the B.C. government has been gunning down wolves and calling... Read more
Economic development should not come at the expense of the laws that protect endangered wildlife. Canada does not need to choose between a strong economy and a living planet. The real test is whether we protect not only endangered species, but also the laws that stand... Read more
The conflict in the Persian Gulf has caused the greatest disruption in world oil supply in history. Canadians have felt immediate consequences from this oil shock, through much higher prices for gasoline and other petroleum products. But that is just the beginning of... Read more
The Unist’ot’en clan continue to fight against industrial development on their sovereign Yintah. Instead of two work parties, they are doing one extra long one, August 1st until September 7th, and can use help. All skills are welcome but especially: skilled... Read more
The View Royal Climate Coalition urges Minister Boyle to adopt “Density Without Demolition.” This strategy promotes adaptive reuse and internal home conversions over demolition, offering a faster, cheaper, and climate-resilient path to housing density.
Greater Victoria needs Density Without Demolition. Adaptive reuse adds units without the high cost of full-lot rebuilds, protecting tree canopies and cutting infrastructure fees. B.C. needs conversion codes and co-op tools to keep housing affordable.
