Stand.earth reacts to the B.C. NDP’s election win

Unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories (Vancouver, B.C.)  — As the B.C. NDP re-takes leadership of the Government of British Columbia, Stand.earth climate experts and advocates see an opportunity for improvement on their past policies. This includes taking long-overdue actions to ramp up affordable clean energy, end handouts to the polluting fossil fuel industry, and follow through on promises to keep old growth forests standing.

Liz McDowell, Senior Campaigns Director at Stand.earth, said:

“This narrow victory for the NDP is a reflection of a governing party that hasn’t yet shown strong enough results on issues that voters overwhelmingly care about – including day-to-day issues like housing and health care, and generational issues like climate action and environmental protection. I hope that Premier Eby’s new government will take note of the message sent to them in this very close election take immediate steps to follow through on long-standing commitments. That means reining in big polluters, implementing measures to protect critical old growth forests, and investing in clean, affordable energy for all, while also putting oil and gas megaprojects like the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission line through a modern environmental review. Affordability and tackling the climate crisis are two sides of the same coin – if we don’t take action now, disasters will only become more and more costly.”

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

“During the campaign the B.C. NDP committed themselves to making our province a ‘clean energy superpower’. Keeping that promise requires Premier Eby to stand up to the fossil fuel lobby by telling them that his government is done subsidizing and permitting their LNG terminals and fracking wells. To become a clean energy superpower we need to close the door on the dirty energy of the past, while embracing renewable energy for our future .”

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

“While the B.C. NDP ran on a commitment to implement the Old Growth Strategic Review, the last few years have shown us that it has a serious problem with following through on its commitments. This new NDP government must now prove that it is willing to act with the urgency necessary to address the existential crisis facing forests and forest communities. From ongoing old growth logging to pelletizing whole trees, it is far past time for a serious overhaul of forest management, one that must go further to enshrine and uphold First Nations’ decision-making. It’s up to all of us now to hold this new NDP government to its promises to prevent more irreplaceable forests from falling, forever.”

Sunil Singal, Climate Campaigner at Stand.earth, said:

This election clearly showed affordability is top of mind for voters across the province. The B.C. NDP have a real opportunity to take bold action and ramp up electric heat pump adoption which would reduce energy bills and fight climate change.

Stand.earth’s climate experts and advocates are available for comment on B.C. environmental policy issues and on the climate priorities the new legislative assembly must put at the top of their agenda.

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Media contacts:

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

Sven Biggs, 778-882-8354, sven@stand.earth and Kiki Wood, kiki@stand.earth, 604-757-7030

For comment on old growth forests, industrial logging, and forest biomass – Liz McDowell, Senior Campaigns Director (604-219-63371, liz@stand.earth)

For comment on building electrification and progressive building policies – Sunil Singal, 604-368-3536, sunil.singal@stand.earth

For assistance with arranging interviews, please contact Stand.earth’s Canada Communications Specialists:

Kathryn Semogas, 905-536-3800, kathryn.semogas@stand.earth (Pacific Time)

Arin de Hoog, 613-978-7329, arin.dehoog@stand.earth (Eastern Time)