Stand.earth reacts to B.C. climate-focused budget

British Columbia government unveiled a welcomed provincial budget today that will allocate more crucial funds towards the impacts of climate change, but fell short on addressing the climate crisis at its source.

Unceded Coast Salish Territories (VANCOUVER, BC) — The British Columbia government unveiled a welcomed provincial budget today that will allocate more crucial funds towards the impacts of climate change, but fell short on addressing the climate crisis at its source.

Some of the promises outlined in today’s speech by Selina Robinson, Minister of Finance,  include $1.5 billion to help communities build back better from recent and future climate-related disasters but just $1 billion in new funds for CleanBC, the province’s plan to fight climate change proactively. Additionally, there was no mention of fossil fuel subsidies which are driving up B.C. greenhouse gas emissions, nor was there mention of funding for just transition for workers who will inevitably be impacted.

After years of criticism by environmental groups for the alarming growth in fossil fuel subsidies given out by the province, this spring, the B.C. NDP government will make a major decision on the largest single provincial fossil fuel subsidy as part of its Natural Gas Royalty Review. In 2021, the B.C. NDP gave away more than twice the amount of fossil fuel subsidies – as much as $1.3 billion to be precise – given out in the final year of Christy Clark’s government, according to findings from a Stand.earth report.

“This year, the impacts of climate change will cost British Columbia billions of dollars – that number is going to spiral out of control unless we take dramatic action to get our emissions under control,” said Sven Biggs, Canadian Oil and Gas Program Director for Stand.earth. “Unfortunately, today’s budget, while increasing spending on climate programs, still fails to take on the oil and gas sector which represents almost 20 per cent of our emissions, but contributes only three per cent to provincial GDP, and represents just 0.5 per cent of jobs in the province.”

The government outlined an implementation plan to protect people in B.C. from the volatile impacts of climate change that devastated the province leading into this year. But if the B.C. NDP is truly committed to living up to this promise, investing in climate-protective infrastructure – including forest protection – must be a priority.

The 2022 budget includes $185 million over three years to support forestry workers, industry, communities, and First Nations with advancing promises around old growth deferrals. At the same time, the vast majority of high risk old growth forests are still open to logging with no firm timelines to halt it. A December 2021 call for funding from the Ancient Forest Alliance identified at about $300 million in funding needed to support First Nations’ transition this year.

“The B.C. government needs to treat old growth forests with the level of urgency and resources that match the scale of the crisis, and that’s where this budget falls short,” said Tegan Hansen, Forest Campaigner, Stand.earth. “While it’s encouraging to see the B.C. government dedicate funds to support First Nations, forest communities and workers in the transition away from old growth logging, many communities are already suffering the devastating impacts of forest mismanagement. Flooding, slides and drinking water concerns will only get worse the longer this government delays action on deferrals. The B.C. government must immediately stop logging in all high risk old growth forests, and work with the federal government to vastly increase the funds available to communities.”

If the B.C. government is truly committed to fulfilling the climate agenda it outlined today, the province must cancel royalty credits, phase out all fossil fuel subsidies, and immediately implement logging deferrals across all priority areas identified by the old growth technical advisory panel.

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Media contacts: 

Ziona Eyob, Media Director – Canada, canadamedia@stand.earth, +1 604 757 7279 (Pacific Time)