For Immediate Release – February 13, 2024
Saanich, BC (Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ Territories) – In response to last night’s unanimous vote by Saanich Council to direct staff to explore collaboration with other local governments to bring a class action lawsuit against global fossil fuel companies, Andrew Gage, Staff Lawyer, stated:
We applaud Saanich taking a crucial step to address the “funding gap” in what is needed to keep its residents safe from climate change. We believe that last night’s unanimous vote, adopting a staff recommendation, will lead to Saanich joining with other local governments that have pledged to Sue Big Oil to protect their residents from having to pay the full costs of climate change.
There are currently over 60 local governments in the U.S. suing global fossil fuel companies for climate damages, and five local governments in BC (Gibsons, View Royal, Squamish, Qualicum Beach and Slocan) that have committed to working towards a class action lawsuit.
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For more information, please contact:
Andrew Gage | Staff Lawyer, West Coast Environmental Law
250-380-8207, agage@wcel.org
Alexis Stoymenoff | Director of Communications, West Coast Environmental Law
604-684-7378 ext. 228, astoymenoff@wcel.org
