Date: May 13, 2024
Complete Article: Burnaby Now Newspaper
Burnaby has joined the campaign to sue big oil! They are the largest city in BC to do so, and we look forward to other cities joining them.
Excerpt:
Burnaby council has voted to join the “Sue Big Oil” campaign which would commit $1 for every Burnaby resident to a proposed class action lawsuit against selected global fossil fuel companies.
The lawsuit is contingent upon other B.C. municipalities joining the campaign and raising a combined minimum of $500,000, and Burnaby will only commit if at least one other local government with a population of 150,000 or more also joins.
Burnaby Citizens Association Coun. Daniel Tetrault said Burnaby could be spending millions in the future as a result of climate change. “This is something our future generation will face,” Tetrault said at a meeting May 13, noting climate concerns are one of the biggest concerns he hears from kids.
The vote was 8-1 in favour of joining the campaign.
Kate McMahon, Burnaby resident and team lead of local climate group Burnaby For Our Kids, said she’s very excited about Burnaby joining the campaign.
“I think it’s very prudent; it makes sense. I think we know that even if we were to stop fossil fuels tomorrow, things are going to get worse before it gets better, and for our kids, we need to know that the city has the wherewithal to adapt and to protect and keep the community safe and healthy.”