Environment

Deep Water Recovery Ltd. owns a ship-breaking company in Union Bay. File photo

Global coalition calls for halt to Vancouver Island shipbreaking operation

Belgium-based group joins lobby concerned about the demolition of old ships in Union Bay

 

The Concerned Citizens of Baynes Sound included this photo of two ships parked in Union Bay in a presentation to the Electoral Area Services Committee. The photo shows the shipbreaking occurring on the water, which CCOBS said violates the Ministry of Forests (FLNR) foreshore lease. Photo supplied

Neighbours call B.C. shipbreaking operation a ‘disaster waiting to happen’

A group dubbed Concerned Citizens of Baynes Sound (CCOBS) is pressing the…

 

The ombudsperson recommends changes to strengthen oversight, compliance with the law, public accountability and transparency of riparian regulation. Photo: Trail Times

Environmental oversight strengthened by B.C. ombudsperson’s recommendations

Ombudsperson Jay Chalke released his final update last week.

 

The remains of a cut block is seen in the Fairy Creek logging area near Port Renfrew, B.C. Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Activists pledge to block Trans Canada Highway off-ramps to protest old-growth logging

Extinction Rebellion is among groups organizing campaign

The remains of a cut block is seen in the Fairy Creek logging area near Port Renfrew, B.C. Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
King tides encroach on Imperial Lane homes in Ucluelet on Jan. 2.

King tides surge along Tofino and Ucluelet coastline

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve urges residents and visitors to be CoastSmart

King tides encroach on Imperial Lane homes in Ucluelet on Jan. 2.
A hungry gull picks away at a dead salmon on the banks of the Goldstream River. The Goldstream Hatchery saw far fewer chum salmon than exected this year due to weather extremes, experts say. (Black Press Media file photo)

Goldstream Hatchery salmon program hit hard by ‘perfect storm’

First drought, then flooding decimate chum numbers in West Shore spawning river

A hungry gull picks away at a dead salmon on the banks of the Goldstream River. The Goldstream Hatchery saw far fewer chum salmon than exected this year due to weather extremes, experts say. (Black Press Media file photo)
Kootenay Lake is one of the bodies of water re-surveyed by Living Lakes Canada this summer, in a study of ecological and urban development changes to Basin shorelines. Photo: Kelsey Yates

Empowering B.C. communities to protect their local watersheds

The time is now to create a Watershed Security Fund.

  • Dec 21, 2021
Kootenay Lake is one of the bodies of water re-surveyed by Living Lakes Canada this summer, in a study of ecological and urban development changes to Basin shorelines. Photo: Kelsey Yates
The class got to weigh themselves on the scale to see how much it would cost to dispose of the class weight. At 1,150 lb, it would cost $120 to dump everyone. Photo: Wildsight

Waste out of sight but not out of mind for Kootenay Columbia students

Beyond Recycling is a 24-week exploration into the energy, waste and consumption in daily lives.

The class got to weigh themselves on the scale to see how much it would cost to dispose of the class weight. At 1,150 lb, it would cost $120 to dump everyone. Photo: Wildsight
Participants of the ghost gear recovery training program in November. Photo courtesy Joan Drinkwin. Participants of the ghost gear recovery training program in November 2021. Photo courtesy Joan Drinkwin.

Diver training helping B.C. get to the bottom of its ‘ghost gear’ problem

Training part of federal government program targeting lost fishing gear in Canadian waters

Participants of the ghost gear recovery training program in November. Photo courtesy Joan Drinkwin. Participants of the ghost gear recovery training program in November 2021. Photo courtesy Joan Drinkwin.
A fan photo of Cole Sprouse in Langley, where parts of Netflix’s show Riverdale have been filmed. (Submitted photo)

Riverdale star fundraising for B.C. environmental groups with sale of his photo prints

Cole Sprouse, Jughead in the Archie Comics spin-off show, also an avid photographer

A fan photo of Cole Sprouse in Langley, where parts of Netflix’s show Riverdale have been filmed. (Submitted photo)
United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney addresses supporters in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, April 16, 2019. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

Environmentalists threaten Alberta Premier Kenney with lawsuit over inquiry remarks

‘If Premier Kenney doesn’t follow the good advice of his lawyers, he will be served’

United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney addresses supporters in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, April 16, 2019. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)
Crowe students helped remove invasive plants at Beaver Creek and replace them with native plants and seeds. Be on the lookout for small orange flags placed by each new native species, and please step around these flags. Photo: Submitted

Kootenay Columbia students dig in to habitat restoration

Crowe students remove invasive plants and plant native plant and seeds at Beaver Creek

Crowe students helped remove invasive plants at Beaver Creek and replace them with native plants and seeds. Be on the lookout for small orange flags placed by each new native species, and please step around these flags. Photo: Submitted
Fresh cut sawdust is seen from a tree cut from a cut block near the Òheli campÓ in Fairy Creek logging area near Port Renfrew, B.C. Monday, Oct. 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. forest company says rule of law must apply to ongoing protests at Fairy Creek

Teal Cedar Products seeking to extend injunction against blockades through court appeal

Fresh cut sawdust is seen from a tree cut from a cut block near the Òheli campÓ in Fairy Creek logging area near Port Renfrew, B.C. Monday, Oct. 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, second left, and Mark Carney take part in a panel discussion on carbon pricing at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made many policy announcements across the pond at the COP26 climate summit in Scotland, a new poll hints at how Canadians feel about those developments. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Most Canadians support the federal government’s climate policy announcements: poll

69% support Canada’s summit announcement

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, second left, and Mark Carney take part in a panel discussion on carbon pricing at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made many policy announcements across the pond at the COP26 climate summit in Scotland, a new poll hints at how Canadians feel about those developments. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A wildfire-scorched sequoia tree stands on a hillside, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, in Sequoia Crest, Calif. Archangel Ancient Tree Archive is planting sequoia seedlings in the area. The effort led by the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, a nonprofit trying to preserve the genetics of the biggest old-growth trees, is one of many extraordinary measures being taken to save giant sequoias that were once considered nearly fire-proof and are in jeopardy of being wiped out by more intense wildfires. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Hope after wildfire: Tiny sequoias could grow into giants

Measures underway to save trees at risk of being wiped out by more intense wildfires

A wildfire-scorched sequoia tree stands on a hillside, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, in Sequoia Crest, Calif. Archangel Ancient Tree Archive is planting sequoia seedlings in the area. The effort led by the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, a nonprofit trying to preserve the genetics of the biggest old-growth trees, is one of many extraordinary measures being taken to save giant sequoias that were once considered nearly fire-proof and are in jeopardy of being wiped out by more intense wildfires. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard) A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard)

Ship that lost 109 containers near Victoria is now stable: operator

Remaining containers safe and will be unloaded once a port of call has been identified

A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard) A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard)
Ships continue to work to control a fire onboard the MV Zim Kingston about eight kilometres from the shore in Victoria, B.C., on Monday, October 25, 2021. A special weather statement was issued for the Greater Victoria area as southeasterly winds gusting up to 90km per hour were forecasted. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Refrigerators, styrofoam, garbage on B.C. beaches after containers spilled from ship

Items collected by helicopter off Cape Palmerston beach on the northwest side of Vancouver Island

Ships continue to work to control a fire onboard the MV Zim Kingston about eight kilometres from the shore in Victoria, B.C., on Monday, October 25, 2021. A special weather statement was issued for the Greater Victoria area as southeasterly winds gusting up to 90km per hour were forecasted. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Quillback rock fish on a marine protected area glass sponge reef. (Photo credit of CPAWS-BC, Diane Reid)

Watchdog says B.C.’s marine protected areas fall short in protecting biodiversity

Activities such as bottom trawling active in some MPAs, future threats looming

Quillback rock fish on a marine protected area glass sponge reef. (Photo credit of CPAWS-BC, Diane Reid)
Crews keep surrounding containers and the hull of the MV Zim Kingston cool while fires continue to smoulder aboard the ship. (Canadian Coast Guard/Twitter)

Company hires contractor in effort to recover overboard containers off B.C.

Thermal cameras being used to find remaining hot spots on the MV Zim Kingston

Crews keep surrounding containers and the hull of the MV Zim Kingston cool while fires continue to smoulder aboard the ship. (Canadian Coast Guard/Twitter)
Ships work to control a fire onboard the MV Zim Kingston about eight kilometres from the shore in Victoria, B.C., on Sunday, October 24, 2021. The container ship caught fire on Saturday and 16 crew members were evacuated and brought to Ogden Point Pier. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Drifting shipping containers leave Vancouver Island communities with many questions

Containers spotted as far north as Cape Scott, as of Wednesday, none had been retrieved

Ships work to control a fire onboard the MV Zim Kingston about eight kilometres from the shore in Victoria, B.C., on Sunday, October 24, 2021. The container ship caught fire on Saturday and 16 crew members were evacuated and brought to Ogden Point Pier. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito