Stand.earth reacts to cooperation agreement between B.C. Greens and NDP

Unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories (Vancouver, B.C.)  — The cooperation agreement between the NDP and Greens announced by British Columbia Premier David Eby today is an encouraging sign that the two parties can work together on shared priorities, including on environment and climate issues that must be at the top of the new legislative assembly’s agenda in 2025.

Sunil Singal, Climate Campaigner for SAFE Cities Canada at Stand.earth, said:

“The NDP and Greens have agreed to commit $50 million annually toward electric heat pumps for the next two fiscal years. It is encouraging to see the commitment to accelerate the adoption of electric heat pumps to bring down energy bills while tackling climate pollution, and in particular ensuring that they reach low and moderate-income households. Electric heat pumps help consumers cut their residential climate pollution in half while also saving on energy bills. In our increasingly hot summers, electric heat pumps also provide much needed cooling. We are also happy to see a commitment to review CleanBC over the next year, and hope that the government will take the opportunity to get back on track with our climate targets for buildings by committing to build zero carbon homes faster. Over 30 local governments across B.C. have accelerated the adoption of the Zero Carbon Step Code, which requires modern technology like electric heat pumps in all new buildings, and the majority of B.C. residents are supportive of expanding these commonsense policies.” 

Sven Biggs, Canadian Oil and Gas Program Director at Stand.earth, said:

“We are glad to see that one of the goals of today’s agreement is to create a strong, sustainable economy, especially since this must mean embracing opportunities like clean, renewable electricity – including the wind projects that the province announced earlier this week – while leaving dirty, toxic industries like fracking in the past. The expansion of LNG and the new fracking wells needed to supply those export terminals is the biggest climate problem facing B.C. So, any review of CleanBC must begin with answering the question: how can we ever hope to avoid the worst impacts of climate change if we are continuing to expand fossil fuel extraction?” 

Tegan Hansen, Senior Forest Campaigner at Stand.earth, said:

“While it’s a potentially positive signal to see forests prioritized by the NDP and the Greens, we need immediate measures to keep old growth standing – ones that meaningfully uphold First Nations Title and rights, move funds to communities, and ensure a transparent process. Otherwise this new agreement will just be another in a long list of delay tactics that serves nobody in the long-term. We are already more than four years into an old growth review that has mostly not been implemented. As old growth continues to be destroyed, mills continue to close, and communities continue to burn. People in B.C. are rightly frustrated. Another review of forests cannot come and go without meaningful action.” 

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Media contacts:

For comment on building electrification and progressive building policies – 

Sunil Singal, 604-368-3536, sunil.singal@stand.earth

For comment on oil, LNG, electrification and renewable energy – 

Sven Biggs, 778-882-8354, sven@stand.earth 

For comment on old growth forests, industrial logging, and forest biomass – 

Tegan Hansen, 250-354-3302, tegan@stand.earth 

For assistance with arranging interviews – 

Kathryn Semogas, 905-536-3800, kathryn.semogas@stand.earth