News

Inflation is threatening to derail the climate plans of one of the most ambitious municipalities in British Columbia, prompting fears cities across the province could be quietly following a similar path. In response, staff at the District of Saanich have become the first in Canada to propose an aggressive solution to close the fiscal gap and balance the district’s budget: sue the world’s largest oil and gas companies. (Article in Times Colonist) Read More

The Makah Indian Tribe and Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe are the latest to join dozens of communities across the United States that have sued oil companies to make them pay for their climate deception and destruction. (Article on Center for Climate Integrity website) Read More

On December 13, 2023, the Capital Regional District board voted to have their staff explore the feasibility, merits and role of the CRD joining the Sue Big Oil lawsuit. The SCRD – and Sunshine Coast supporters of the lawsuit – will be watching closely to see what they conclude. (Article in Comox Valley Record) Read More

Two of California’s biggest cities are one step closer to putting Big Oil companies on trial for their climate lies after a federal appeals court ruled this week that climate accountability lawsuits from San Francisco and Oakland can move forward in state court, where they were originally filed. (Article on ClimateIntegrity.org website) Read More

Proponents of the Sue Big Oil movement got a ‘wait and see’ message from Sunshine Coast Regional District directors on November 16. Directors requested that their staff reach out to counterparts in another regional district which is obtaining legal opinions on regional districts participation in the proposed class action lawsuit. (Article in Coast Reporter) Read More

A climate lawsuit filed by the City and County of Honolulu that could make oil and gas majors pay billions of dollars in damages for deceiving the public about their products’ role in climate change is now positioned to be the first of its kind to go to trial, following a ruling from the Hawai‘i Supreme Court. A ruling in the case could have significant implications for other climate cases across the country. (Article in ExxonKnews) Read More

Last week, Canada’s parliament grilled Suncor Energy CEO Richard Kruger about his company’s commitment — or lack thereof — to the clean energy transition. Meanwhile, at the grassroots level, calls for climate lawsuits against Big Oil companies have been building in Canada for years. The “Sue Big Oil” campaign has been encouraging municipalities in BC to file a joint lawsuit against fossil fuel companies for climate damages since 2022. Just this week, the District of Squamish became the third municipality in B.C. to sign on to the campaign. (Article in ExxonKnews) Read More

The District of Squamish took a step towards adding its name to those of other B.C. municipalities as part of the Sue Big Oil campaign. At an Oct. 24 committee of the whole meeting, council members voted 5-2 in favour of joining a class action lawsuit against oil companies. (Article in The Squamish Chief Newspaper) Read More

Following a federal committee hearing that dragged a Suncor executive over the coals for his company’s plans to expand fossil fuel production, NDP MP Charlie Angus says now is the time to hold Big Oil accountable. This is Canada’s Big Tobacco moment,” he says, drawing a direct comparison to the major lawsuits launched against Big Tobacco in the 1990s which led to the largest civil litigation settlement in U.S. history, which that required tobacco companies to pay $264 billion over 25 years for their role in pushing harmful products on a public they actively deceived. (Article in National Observer) Read More

Testimonies to Parliament can be pretty dry… but not this one! In a passionate, inspiring, articulate and information-filled five minutes, author John Vaillant (of the book Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast) makes it clear why it’s appropriate to sue the oil and gas industry. Watch this video to learn how – and why – fires in the 21st Century are different – and much more dangerous – than those that came before. (Video on Charlie Angus YouTube Channel) Read More