Take action: Give public comment until July 22, 2026

Over the past month the federal government has continued to introduce unprecedented measures that weaken the laws safeguarding Canada’s democratic processes and endangered species.

Last week, they revealed their plan make the Fraser River estuary – one of British Columbia’s most extraordinary natural assets and vital for salmon, the Pacific Flyway and the wider Salish Sea – the site of a massive new terminal for the world’s largest oil tankers. This has had no review, no input, and no consideration for the social, ecological, and economic consequences of a decision like this, without even mentioning the risk that such a terminal, its tank farm of diluted bitumen and its super tankers, bring to people and ecosystems of this region.

On Thursday this week, the federal government designated the proposed port expansion at Roberts Bank, known as Roberts Bank Terminal 2, a project in Canada’s “national interest.”

This decision allows RBT2 to be exempted from requiring a Species at Risk Act permit that is normally required for ecologically harmful activities. In this case, the harmful activities would be the destruction of habitat that is critical to the survival of endangered Southern Resident killer whales and the Chinook salmon they feed on.

It is strange timing given the project was only a few months away from a final permit decision under SARA, the final step needed to proceed.

So why would the federal government circumvent this long permit process at such a late stage, unless they felt the project would not meet the “jeopardy test” within the Species at Risk Act? If it doesn’t meet the jeopardy test that means the project can’t proceed without increasing the extinction risk for Southern Resident killer whales.

And it’s this jeopardy clause that the federal government is attempting to remove from SARA; this is why it is imperative that you submit your comments by the July 22 deadline to the Major Projects Office.

We are asking you to urgently do two things:

Provide feedback on dismantling the jeopardy clause in the Species at Risk Act (we have a template that you can edit).
Send your same comment to the sole BC federal cabinet member Gregor Roberston, Minister Responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada and for Housing and Infrastructure. CC your letter to other south coast MPs.

Discussion paper link Read more

Send your feedback to: engagement [at] pco-bcp [dot] gc [dot] ca and Prime Minister Carney PM [at] pm [dot] gc [dot] ca

Suggested feedback; it’s more effective to make this your own.

I strongly oppose the proposal to override section 73(3)(c) of Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA) as part of building One Canadian Economy. Doing so, as proposed in the discussion paper, would remove one of SARA’s most important safeguards: the requirement that federally authorized activities not jeopardize the survival or recovery of endangered species.

This provision is intended to prevent projects from pushing endangered species closer to extinction. Weakening it would have direct implications for Southern Resident killer whales, which the federal government has already determined face an imminent threat to their survival and recovery. Their recovery depends on reducing threats, including underwater noise and disturbance from shipping. Yet these threats are not being reduced; instead, the quality of their critical habitat continues to deteriorate as shipping and industrial activity expand.

I support efforts to strengthen Canada’s economy and sovereignty, but not by dismantling the laws that protect endangered species. Removing this safeguard for projects such as Roberts Bank Terminal 2 and other developments that would increase underwater noise and disturbance would further diminish the prospects for recovery of Southern Resident killer whales and ask Canadians to accept the possible extinction of this iconic population as the price of industrial expansion.

2. Send to Minister Gregor Robertson, and cc south coast MPs

Suggested letter; it’s more effective if you make this your own.

Honorable Minister Gregor Robertson, gregor [dot] robertson [at] parl [dot] gc [dot] ca
House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0A6
Main office – Vancouver, 360 – 3150 54th Ave E, Vancouver, British Columbia V5S 1Z1

Dear Minister Robertson,

I am writing as a resident greatly concerned about the changes proposed to Canada’s Species at Risk Ask as part of the building One Canadian Economy. The provision in SARA is designed to prevent projects from pushing endangered species closer to extinction. Weakening it would have direct implications for Southern Resident killer whales, which the federal government has already determined face an imminent threat to their survival and recovery. Recovery of these killer whales depends on reducing threats, including underwater noise and disturbance from shipping. Yet these threats are not being reduced; instead, the quality of their critical habitat continues to deteriorate as shipping and industrial activity expand.I support efforts to strengthen Canada’s economy and sovereignty, but not by dismantling the laws that protect endangered species. Removing this safeguard for projects such as Roberts Bank Terminal 2 and other developments that would increase underwater noise and disturbance in Critical Habitat would further diminish the prospects for recovery of Southern Resident killer whales and ask Canadians to accept the possible extinction of this iconic population as the price of industrial expansion.

Sincerely,
[Your name goes here]

cc south coast MPs

cc: Honorable Randeep Sarai, Surrey Centre, Secretary of State (International Development), randeep [dot] sarai [at] parl [dot] gc [dot] ca
cc: Honourable Stephanie McLean, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, Secretary of State (Seniors), stephanie [dot] mclean [at] parl [dot] gc [dot] ca
cc: Honourable Hedy Fry, Vancouver Centre hedy [dot] fry [at] parl [dot] gc [dot] ca
cc: Honourable Terry Beech, Burnaby North—Seymour terry [dot] beech [at] parl [dot] gc [dot] ca
cc: Honourable Jill McKnight, Delta, Associate Minister of National Defence, jill [dot] mcknight [at] parl [dot] gc [dot] ca
cc: MP Ernie Klassen, South Surrey—White Rock, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, ernie [dot] klassen [at] parl [dot] gc.ca
cc: MP Will Greaves, Victoria, will [dot] greaves [at] parl [dot] gc [dot] ca