Climate protesters to march through downtown Vancouver on Friday

Thousands of protesters are expected to march into downtown Vancouver on Friday, demanding more action from their government to address the growing climate crisis.

Attendees are scheduled to rally outside city hall, at Cambie Street and 12th Avenue, at 1 p.m. before heading to the Vancouver Art Gallery, where they will be calling on policymakers to take more steps to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Their demands include a moratorium on new oil and gas projects, and on the use of natural gas in new construction projects.

The planned march route will take attendees down Cambie Street, over the Cambie Street Bridge and along Smithe Street to Hornby Street, potentially impacting traffic in the early afternoon.

Organizers described the event as a youth-led demonstration, with many students from across the city expected to attend. Friday will be a non-instructional day at most schools, according to a district calendar.

Grade 11 student Delara Reporter is among the scheduled speakers. Confronting the threat of climate change is “a responsibility that my generation is having to face head on,” said Reporter, in a statement released by the Vancouver Climate Strike Coalition ahead of the protest.

“Defending what needs to be done for the climate is not a choice, it’s a requirement for our livelihoods and those of future generations,” Reporter said.

Singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, who has a show Friday night at The Commodore Ballroom, is also expected to perform at the protest.