Squamish, BC, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw – The District of Squamish will be the third BC local government to support a class action lawsuit against fossil fuel companies after Council, sitting as Committee of the Whole, voted 5-2 to set aside funds in the 2025 budget for this purpose.
West Coast Environmental Law, My Sea to Sky and other members of the Sue Big Oil campaign applauded Squamish’s climate leadership and its efforts to recover some of the tens of millions of dollars of harm that the fossil fuel industry is causing the community.
“Squamish is spending $13 million on dike upgrades, millions more on wildfire preparedness, and still more on other climate impacts,” noted Tracey Saxby, Executive Director of My Sea to Sky. “We cannot afford to let companies like Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil which have played a huge role in causing the climate crisis off the hook.”
“It’s increasingly obvious that a class action lawsuit by BC’s local governments against fossil fuel companies is the fiscally responsible option for communities like Squamish, which are facing massive bills as a direct result of climate change,” said Fiona Koza, Climate Accountability Strategist with West Coast Environmental Law speaking after her presentation to Squamish Council. “These companies knew in the 1950s and 60s that their products would cause climate change, and they chose to aggressively expand while fighting tooth and nail to prevent consumers and governments from moving away from fossil fuels. They must pay their fair share.”
Squamish joins the Townships of Gibsons and View Royal in committing to work together to bring a class action lawsuit against global fossil fuel companies for the costs of climate change. The Sue Big Oil campaign has volunteer action teams in communities throughout the province that are asking their local governments to join the action.
–30–
For more information, please contact:
Tracey Saxby | Executive Director, My Sea to Sky
(604) 892-7501, tracey@myseatosky.org
Andrew Gage | Staff Lawyer, West Coast Environmental Law
604-601-2506, agage@wcel.org
Fiona Koza | Climate Accountability Strategist, West Coast Environmental Law
604-684-7378, ext. 236, fkoza@wcel.org