West Coast Environmental Law

08/21/2026

Meet more of the youth plaintiffs behind La Rose v. His Majesty the King, a landmark climate case arguing that Canada’s government is violating their Charter rights to life, liberty and security of the person by escalating the climate crisis.

This October, Zoe, Leandrea, Albert and their fellow youth plaintiffs take their case to trial in Vancouver, Canada! Swipe to learn more about them and their fight for climate justice.

Learn more: ourchildrenstrust.org/canada

08/20/2026

So much for government transparency 🫤 BC government is shutting down public access to its online directory, leaving taxpayers in the dark about the structure of ministries, government staff, titles and contact info.

08/18/2026

In 2015, then-Bank of England Governor Mark Carney gave a massively influential speech, warning insurers and investors that fossil fuel-driven climate change posed a serious risk to financial stability. Governor Carney pointed out that the harm of climate change is not showing up on the balance sheets of business people, politicians or banks, because the harm will be suffered by someone else, and often in the future.

What would he think of himself today?

Prime Minister Carney’s $35 billion oil sands pipeline is exactly the sort of “investment” that 2015 Mark Carney was warning against – exposing Canadians to physical, liability and transition risks. Staff Lawyer Andrew Gage explains in our new blog: https://bit.ly/4cs3LJy

08/14/2026

We’ll be at Garlic Fest in Richmond talking about Sue Big Oil — a bold campaign to make polluters pay their fair share of climate costs. Check it out!

📍 2771 Westminster Hwy (10–3pm)
🔗 https://www.sharingfarm.ca/garlicfest

The Sharing Farm

08/13/2026

Meet Zoe, one of the inspiring youth plaintiffs in La Rose v. His Majesty the King. 🌎💚

This October, Zoe and 14 other young people will head to court to fight for their Charter rights, and a safe climate at Canada’s first-ever youth-led federal climate trial.

Want to help amplify their voices? Use our social media toolkit with ready-to-share graphics, video scripts, captions, and other resources to help spread the word about this historic trial.

Every share helps more people learn about the case and builds support for these courageous young leaders ahead of the Oct 26 trial in Vancouver!

Toolkit: ourchildrenstrust.org/canadatrial-toolkit

08/12/2026

Another fantastic cohort of summer law students is wrapping up their time at West Coast after spending the past few months getting hands-on experience with environmental and Indigenous law. Read on to hear what they had to say about their time with us: https://bit.ly/4wiFPzn

08/11/2026

As wildfires continue to burn across Canada and around the world, communities are facing evacuations, breathing toxic air and experiencing the very real impacts of a changing climate.

Climate change is making these fires more frequent and more destructive. It’s also driving up insurance costs and putting more communities at risk. So how do we protect ourselves and our communities?

We’re hosting a free webinar on August 26 at 12pm PST exploring how climate change is reshaping wildfire risk. We have an outstanding panel of speakers:

🔥John Vaillant, best-selling author of Fire Weather
🔥Kelsey Winter, Executive Director at CIFFC
🔥Carly Phillips, Senior Scientist at Union of Concerned Scientists

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iHS8lEuuSSyOhf-7JrNU5w #/registration

08/07/2026

Marine Law Strategist Hugh Benevides shares an update on the rushed, risky, and climate-backwards west coast oil pipeline and tankers project. While pushback from north coast Nations and the public convinced the government not to mess with the tanker ban, now the south coast is being turned into a sacrifice zone.

As the federal government is deciding whether to pre-approve this project, we need your help to defend the coast, and to fight to uphold the environmental safeguards that protect the land, air and water around us.

Make a donation today and support this important work: wcel.org/donate

08/04/2026

We need your voice! The federal government is seeking feedback on the draft National Strategy until Aug 10. In our blog, we provide context on in Canada, discuss gaps in the current draft, and how we can support you in sharing your story: https://bit.ly/4hf4aCC

07/30/2026

Kira Young, one of 15 youth plaintiffs in La Rose v. His Majesty the King, biked a 1600km medical route from Yellowknife to Edmonton, raising over $82,000 CAD with her team for children with rheumatic diseases like hers. Now she's preparing for a different kind of finish line: trial this October, the first youth-led federal climate case in Canadian history.

In 2023, wildfire evacuation orders forced her family to leave their home — and her mom — behind. It's one reason why she's stepping into court to hold Canada accountable for its role in the climate crisis.

Read Kira's story: ourchildrenstrust.org/blog/reclaiming-my-story

When I was diagnosed in high school with a rare autoinflammatory disease, going to a doctor’s office down the road wasn’t an option. Living in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada, the closest place I could access the specialized treatment I needed was Edmonton: over 1000 kilometer...