Climate activists hold sit-in at busy Vancouver intersection to protest old-growth logging
Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion held a sit-in at a busy Vancouver intersection on Saturday afternoon in protest of old-growth logging on Vancouver Island.
Dozens of demonstrators gathered on the front steps of Vancouver City Hall before marching down the street and sitting in the middle of the intersection of Cambie Street and West Broadway.
The group is calling on the B.C. government to permanently stop all logging in the Fairy Creek watershed, an area of old-growth forest in southwestern Vancouver Island.
The province has agreed to defer old growth logging on 2,000 hectares of Indigenous territory for two years, after a request from three Vancouver Island First Nations – the Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht, and Pacheedaht.
However, some want it stopped permanently, which is why the protests continue.
“I think, if they were wise, they would take a look at their policies and figure out what the people of this province really want,” says Brent Eichler, a member of Extinction Rebellion.
In the middle of the intersection, protestors talked amongst themselves, sang, and gave speeches. One of the speakers was Evie Mandel, who recently returned from a four-day trip to Fairy Creek.
“They’re still logging there,” Mandel says. “They’re still building roads. The deferral only covers a small portion of the old growth forest there. There are many, many ancient trees and habitat to protect.”
Activists are still on scene in the Fairy Creek forest, despite the pause on logging. Mandel, 65, was arrested while protesting there, but feels bold action needs to be taken if the old-growth trees are to be saved.
“We have practically no ancient forest left,” she says. “John Horgan says we’ll have a new old growth policy in 2023, but at the rate they’re logging there, these forests will already be gone in only two years.”
Mandel says her biggest concern is for the ecosystem. She says old growth trees on Vancouver Island aren’t just spectacular to look at, but play a critical role in the local environment that cannot be replicated.
“It’s the exact opposite of sustainable,” she says. “It is irreplaceable. We do not have the power as human beings to create an old-growth forest like that.”
The sit-in lasted roughly three hours before the Vancouver Police Department asked protestors to clear the area. The intersection reopened to traffic without incident. The VPD says the demonstration was peaceful and no arrests were made.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.