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Extreme weather fueled by climate change is threatening Victoria and driving up costs

The Dallas Cliffs have a history of coastal erosion, made worse by climate change. The City has spent tens of millions of dollars stabilizing the cliffs, but rising sea levels and increasingly severe and frequent storms will only increase this erosion.

Who should pay Victoria’s rising climate costs?

Take action now to make sure that Victorians aren’t saddled with skyrocketing climate costs. 

Victoria is experiencing coastal erosion, summer drought and heat waves and dying trees (see more about climate impacts, below). 

Big Oil knew for decades that these types of catastrophic impacts would result from burning fossil fuels. They lied and lobbied against clean energy alternatives, so that they could rake in trillions of dollars in profits. As a result, Victoria residents are less safe and are paying more.

Take Action Now

On December 11th, 2025 representatives of Sue Big Oil – Capital Regional District, and supporting organizations and Victoria residents, will appear before Victoria Council. They will ask the City to work with other local governments to keep residents safe from climate change and recover a share of climate costs from the world’s largest polluters. Eleven BC municipalities have already pledged their support. This is Victoria’s chance!

Here’s how you can help: 

1: Send a message to Victoria's Mayor and Council

If you are a resident of Victoria, Mayor Alto and the City Council need to hear that you are concerned about the rising costs of climate change in your own life and in your community, and that you want the City of Victoria to support a class action lawsuit to hold fossil fuel companies accountable.

Click here to send an email to Mayor and Council (mayorandcouncil@victoria.ca). It doesn’t need to be long.

  • Introduce yourself as a resident of the City (include your mailing address);
  • Mention the climate costs you’re worried about (see the bottom of this page for some ideas); and
  • Ask them to support a class action lawsuit to recover a fair share of Victoria’s climate costs from global fossil fuel companies.
Send a Letter to Mayor and Council

If you would like support in writing a message, register here to join the December 3rd letter writing workshop hosted by Dogwood and Common Horizon at the Dock (722 Cormorant St.) from 6-8pm.

2: Join us at a rally on December 11th

On December 11th at 6:10pm, supporters of the delegation will be gathering in advance of the Council meeting at Centennial Square. At 6:30 head with us to City Hall to support the delegates. (If you are interested in making a 5 minute presentation yourself, you can apply here. You have until December 9 at 6:30pm).

How is climate change impacting Victoria?

Participants of the Victoria Climate Impacts Bike Tour stop to view water pipes under the Bay Street Bridge, which are part of a planned a billion-dollar expansion and upgrade of the region’s water system by the CRD Water board.
Here are a few ways that climate change is already affecting us in Victoria:
  • Coastal erosion due to storm surges and (in the long-term) rising sea levels. Did you know that the City believes that it will eventually have to stop defending Victoria’s historic Ross Bay Cemetery from erosion and rising seas?;
  • Installing misting stations and cooling centres to avoid future heat related deaths;
  • Dying Cedars, Gary Oaks and other urban trees;
  • Flooding in various parts of the City;
  • Droughts and other impacts, requiring the (expensive) expansion of our regional water system; and
  • Increasing insurance premiums and cost of food.

You can find more detailed information on the Victoria Climate Impacts Bike Tour page.