Sunshine Coast
Sue Big Oil

Join us in our campaign to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for climate change

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Sue Big Oil is Growing!

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Village of Slocan Votes to Join

The Council of the Village of Slocan voted unanimously on Monday February 12, 2024, in favour of joining the lawsuit. Slocan is the first municipality in BC’s interior to make such a pledge and the fifth municipality in the province.

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Qualicum Beach Votes to Join

On February 7th, 2024, the Town of Qualicum voted 4-1 in favour of working with other municipal governments in BC to bring a class action lawsuit against select global fossil fuel companies to recover the costs related to climate change.

Image credit: Carrie Cole from DepositPhotos.

Aerial view of the luxury homes in Halfmoon Bay, Sechelt, Sunshine Coast, British Columbia, Canada.

SCRD Considers Joining Sue Big Oil Lawsuit

On November 16, 2023, the SCRD's electoral services committee directed staff to reach out to Capital Regional District (CRD), who are investigating whether participating in the Sue Big Oil lawsuit is within the jurisdiction of a regional district.

Image credit: from DepositPhotos.

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District of Squamish Votes to Join

On October 24, 2023, Squamish council members voted 5-2 in favour of joining the Sue Big Oil campaign. On November 7th, council officially ratified that vote. This makes Squamish the third municipality to join the campaign.

Image credit: Tom Wheatley on Unsplash

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Town of View Royal Votes to Join

At its Town Council meeting on June 6th, 2023, View Royal Council voted to work with other local governments to bring a class action lawsuit against global fossil fuel companies for a share of municipal climate change costs.

Image credit: John Newcomb, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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Town of Gibsons Votes to Join

On March 7th, 2023, Gibsons Council voted unanimously to work with other local governments in BC to file a class action lawsuit against global fossil fuel companies to recover a fair share of the climate costs they are incurring.

Image credit: By Hideyuki KAMON from Takarazuka / 宝塚市, Hyogo / 兵庫県, Japan / 日本 - 190594_PICT0012, CC BY-SA 2.0

Video Introduction to the Lawsuit

On December 7, 2023, the Watershed Sentinel hosted a Sue Big Oil webinar, which was well-attended, lively, and informative. They've posted a recording of the webinar - along with PDFs containing the slides from each presenter:
  • Andrew Gage: lawyer for West Coast Environmental Law, who are organizing the Sue Big Oil lawsuit
  • Duncan Smith: a core member of the Sunshine Coast Sue Big Oil team, who were successful in encouraging the Town of Gibsons to vote to join the lawsuit
  • Jenna Stoner: the District of Squamish Councillor who introduced the successful motion for Squamish Council
Watch the video if you're want to know how the Sue Big Oil campaign works, which municipalities have signed on, and how to get your local government involved.

Why Sue Big Oil?

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Heat Domes

Increased temperatures resulting in negative health outcomes and loss of life

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Flooding

Atmospheric rivers and overland floods damaging homes and properties.

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Storm Surge

Rising sea levels leading to increased costs for infrastructure repair and maintenance.

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Drought

Decreased summer rainfall putting strain on water supplies and local ecosystems.

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“We are going to sue Big Oil. This is an historic moment, and you are going to be able to tell everyone you were here when it began.”

Avi Lewis

They knew.

They profited.

They need to pay.

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A Climate Campaign that's Made in BC

Sue Big Oil is a collaboration of ordinary British Columbians concerned about harmful climate change impacts in BC communities, and the skyrocketing costs for local governments and taxpayers.

For decades, oil and gas corporations have known that burning fossil fuels would cause the heat waves, wildfires, drought and flooding that we’re now experiencing in BC. We must force oil and gas corporations to change their business practices and pay their fair share for the harm they’re causing.

How do we pay for a safer and healthier future for all British Columbians? Let's sue Big Oil. 

About the Campaign

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Sue Big Oil

  • a collaboration of ordinary British Columbians who believe fossil fuel companies should pay their fair share of climate costs
  • spearheaded by West Coast Environmental Law, an environmental non-profit based in Vancouver
  • founded to urge local governments to file a class action lawsuit to sue fossil fuel companies to recover costs due to climate change
  • aims to put aside $1 per resident towards a community fund to sue Big Oil
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Fossil Fuel Companies

  • knew their products would cause the kind of climate impacts we are currently experiencing for decades
  • did nothing to change their practices
  • funded misinformation campaigns and lobbied against legislation that would mitigate these impacts
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Local Taxpayers

  • have to pay 100% of the costs to infrastructure affected by climate change events such as washouts, tidal surges, wind storms, heat waves, droughts, and flooding
  • also have to pay the costs of future climate change impacts including those related to retrofitting, changes to building codes, increased insurance costs, more expensive materials
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Municipalities and Districts

  • are aware of the current and likely future costs our local governments face due to climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels
  • many have reports and plans in place regarding climate science, climate change impacts, vulnerability, and risk assessments
  • the District of Sechelt and the AVICC (Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities) have already sent Letters of Accountability for Climate Change Costs – one to Suncor Energy and one to Chevron
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Pursuing a Class Action Lawsuit...

  • raises awareness of big oil company practices and costs of climate change
  • pressures fossil fuel companies to disclose to investors that they are being sued AND demonstrate to the court they are acting reasonably in response to climate change
  • may result in settlements that can fund the lawsuit against other companies
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Privacy Statement

Your privacy is important to us. This personal information is collected by Sunshine Coast Sue Big Oil (SCSBO.ca) to advance campaigns for environmental, economic, and social justice, and specifically Sue Big Oil.

For the purposes of this Lower Sunshine Coast Petition, this information is also shared with the Sue Big Oil secretariat, West Coast Environmental Law.

Those who opt to receive information, by selecting "Yes" for either question in the form, are consenting to receive additional updates about other causes and activities with which SCSBO.ca is involved.

Under no circumstance will your personal information collected through this campaign be shared with any political party, riding association, or other partisan entity.

The Petition

We call on our local governments to: take urgent action to reduce our fossil fuel use and protect us from heat waves, wildfires, flooding and other climate impacts; set aside at least $1 per person towards a community fund to sue Big Oil; join with other local governments to file a class action lawsuit to recover a fair share of our climate costs;  work to build equitable, sustainable systems for transportation, housing and food that put people and the planet first; cooperate with Indigenous peoples in doing so.

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