Take a moment to contact your elected officials – they care what local residents have to say and it’s an effective way to make a difference. You can write a letter, email, phone, text, or engage your elected officials on social media.

Here are some points that you can include in a letter. You can use these as guidance, but it’s best to rewrite them in your own words:  
 

• • Describe how climate change is affecting you and/or people you know. Share how you feel about the risks of climate change.
  • Mention the types of climate risks facing your community, which may include wildfires, floods, heat waves, extreme weather events, sea level rise, and drought, depending on where you live. Ask whether your local government has determined how much climate change is costing taxpayers, and how much your local government will need to spend to avoid current and future climate impacts, and request that they share that information with you.
    
  • Emphasize that your community cannot afford the skyrocketing costs of climate change.
  • Express concern that fossil fuel companies and their investors make billions of dollars in profits every day, selling products that cause climate change, but pay none of the costs of climate change. Ask if they agree that fossil fuel companies should pay their fair share.
  • Ask your local government to consider setting aside $1 per resident to work with other BC local governments on a class action lawsuit to ensure that fossil fuel companies pay their fair share of climate costs, rather than leaving all climate costs to taxpayers.
  • Make it clear that you are a resident of the municipality or regional district that they represent, and that they have a duty to keep you safe and protect your tax dollars from future climate costs.

We encourage you to send your letter to your Mayor and Council. If you live in an unincorporated area, send your letter to your Regional District Directors. Consult your local government’s website to find out who your elected officials are and their contact information.

Please let us know when you contact them, and how they respond.

It can also be very effective to phone your elected officials and/or engage with them on social media. You can use and adapt the above points to engage with your local government in the way that works best for you.