British Columbia

Sept 16, 2016 - Another U.S. scientific study has confirmed that methane emissions from oil and gas activity are increasing more rapidly than previously estimated, and that these increases were happening at the same time that the North American shale gas boom and related fracking frenzy took off.

Sept 16, 2016 - Solar power projects that could jolt Alberta's electricity grid with the addition of hundreds of megawatts of renewable power are being lined up in anticipation of incentives from the provincial NDP government.

According to the Alberta Electric System Operator, 21 proposed solar projects generating a total of 681 MW — about 60 times the existing provincial solar capacity — have been registered on its system access service request list as of Sept. 1.

Wednesday September 14, 2016

Liberal MP Robert-Falcon Ouellette has broken ranks with his government's approval of a BC dam project, saying a failure to consult local First Nations could violate the UN declaration on indigenous rights.

The Federal Court of Appeal has quashed a bid by the Tsleil-Waututh Nation to have the National Energy Board process for the Trans Mountain pipeline declared unlawful.

At issue in the suit filed in 2014 was whether the Crown and NEB had failed in their constitutional duty to consult the Tsleil-Waututh as a First Nation.

The federal court of appeal issued a 44-page decision last week rejecting the claim, stating the Tsleil-Waututh could have raised its concerns about the project with the federal government at numerous times over the last several years.

OTTAWA — The federal government’s approach to the Site C dam project in British Columbia is not in keeping with Canada’s constitution nor with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, says Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde.

The multi-billion dollar project — a proposed dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River — would create an 83-kilometre reservoir and flood farm land along with traditional First Nations territory.

Opponents of the $8.8 billion dam hope this week's federal court case marks a tipping point

For the last week, a large bus with the slogan "Stand with First Nations to protect the Peace River" on its sides has been making its way across Canada.

At Kinder Morgan meeting, one Liberal voter delivers a blistering rebuke of absent MPs

Note: The Trudeau government is preparing to make a yes or no decision on the Kinder Morgan oil tanker project in December. After being elected on a promise to restart the project review, the Liberals reversed their position and went ahead with the National Energy Board process created by Prime Minister Harper.

Back in June, shortly before the Harper-appointed National Energy Board gave a thumbs-up to Kinder Morgan’s oil tanker proposal, the Liberals announced the creation of a new review panel tasked with “restoring public trust in Canada’s environmental and regulatory processes.”

Barely two months later, the panel has failed spectacularly. Not only has the slapdash process failed to restore trust, it has actually dragged our faith in Canada’s pipeline and tanker reviews to historic new lows.