Environment

A climber is dwarfed by the massive rock face of the Chief in Stawamus Chief Provincial Park in Squamish, B.C., on August 16, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Many Stawamus Chief climbing routes closed after tons of rock tumbles in Squamish

Hot weather suspected cause of collapse at popular B.C. rock-climbing destination

 

Cherries at Pravin Dhaliwal’s family farm in Oliver, B.C., are seen cooked on their trees, when the temperature hit a record 41.5 C in a June 2021 handout photo. Dhaliwal is trying to maintain his passion as a third-generation farmer while dealing with the reality of climate change and says farmers need more support from provincial and federal governments. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Pravin Dhaliwal

Farmers say heat wave, drought show vulnerable agricultural sector needs support

Farmers across Canada look to provincial and the federal governments for help

 

Stuart LePage, of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, sprints to place a salmon in a vessel to be lifted by a helicopter and transported up the Fraser River past a massive rock slide near Big Bar, west of Clinton, B.C., Wednesday July 24, 2019. Officials say thousands of migrating salmon are making their way past an area of British Columbia’s Fraser River that was the scene of waterway restructuring efforts following a massive rock slide more than two years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Salmon getting through Fraser River slide zone as officials ponder permanent fix

Protected fishway at the slide site is allowing salmon to make it upstream

 

Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

VIDEO: B.C. man donates 140,000 mollusk specimens to biodiversity museum

UBC’s Beaty museum grateful for Bill Merilees’s historical record of B.C. marine biodiversity

Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
The MV Schiedyk is shown in this handout image. Tonnes of bulk fuel has been safely removed from a ship that sank off the west coast of Vancouver Island more than half a century ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Bligh Island Shipwreck Response *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Tonnes of oil, diesel pumped from leaking B.C. shipwreck 53 years after sinking

The 147-metre cargo ship went down in Nootka Sound in 1968

The MV Schiedyk is shown in this handout image. Tonnes of bulk fuel has been safely removed from a ship that sank off the west coast of Vancouver Island more than half a century ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Bligh Island Shipwreck Response *MANDATORY CREDIT*
Halfpipe with his mother Split Fluke in 2019. Photo courtesy Kaitlin Paquette.

Death of young humpback shows tragic impact of ship collisions, 2 experts say

Two-year-old ‘Halfpipe’ found dead July 8

Halfpipe with his mother Split Fluke in 2019. Photo courtesy Kaitlin Paquette.
A pumpjack works at a wellhead on an oil and gas installation near Cremona, Alta., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Injection of public funds didn’t increase Alberta oil well cleanups, study suggests

Parkland Institute: Province may have simply replaced money energy companies would have spent anyway

A pumpjack works at a wellhead on an oil and gas installation near Cremona, Alta., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Jason Scherr, PRPA’s Manager of Environmental Sustainability, has spearheaded the shore power project at Fairview Terminal.

Shore power will reduce container vessel emissions at Port of Prince Rupert

Vessels berthed at Fairview Terminal will be able to switch to electric power

  • Jul 5, 2021
Jason Scherr, PRPA’s Manager of Environmental Sustainability, has spearheaded the shore power project at Fairview Terminal.
Gates Creek, 274-acres of land now in trust with the Nature Conservancy of Canada. (Nature Conservancy)

New conservancy will protect 274-acre corridor B.C. grizzly bears use to meet, mingle

Maintaining connectivity between Stein-Nahatlatch and South Chilcotin grizzly populations essential for species’ survival

Gates Creek, 274-acres of land now in trust with the Nature Conservancy of Canada. (Nature Conservancy)
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra speaks while Ottawa South MP David McGuinty looks on during a press conference at the Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airport on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. The Liberal government is speeding up its goal for when it wants to see all light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be electric.THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Kawai

Liberals say by 2035 all new cars, light-duty trucks sold in Canada will be electric

The government had set 2040 target for when it wants to see all passenger vehicles sold be electric

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra speaks while Ottawa South MP David McGuinty looks on during a press conference at the Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airport on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. The Liberal government is speeding up its goal for when it wants to see all light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be electric.THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Kawai
Crews with the $3.5-million provincially funded Marine Debris Removal Initiative remove discarded and lost gear from B.C.’s central coast in the summer of 2020. (Photo supplied by Simon Agar)

Coastal Cleanup stages sequel of bid to rid B.C. coast of garbage

West Coast cleanup nets over 200 tonnes of marine debris

Crews with the $3.5-million provincially funded Marine Debris Removal Initiative remove discarded and lost gear from B.C.’s central coast in the summer of 2020. (Photo supplied by Simon Agar)
Toboggan Hatchery Manager Kris Bulloch. With support and guidance from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Prince Rupert Port Authority’s Skeena River Salmon Enhancement Program, the Toboggan Creek Salmon & Steelhead Enhancement Society is restoring the hatchery.

Hatchery modernization supports wild salmon stocks in Skeena watershed

Upgrades will enhance ability to raise Coho and Chinook fry at Northwest BC facility

  • Jun 28, 2021
Toboggan Hatchery Manager Kris Bulloch. With support and guidance from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Prince Rupert Port Authority’s Skeena River Salmon Enhancement Program, the Toboggan Creek Salmon & Steelhead Enhancement Society is restoring the hatchery.
The Site C Dam location is seen along the Peace River in Fort St. John, B.C., Tuesday, April 18, 2017. A United Nations agency says Canada’s largest national park is now so threatened that it could likely be placed on the list of World Heritage sites in danger. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Alberta’s Wood Buffalo National Park nears endangered status

UNESCO says industry, poor governance ‘likely’ endanger Canadian World Heritage site

The Site C Dam location is seen along the Peace River in Fort St. John, B.C., Tuesday, April 18, 2017. A United Nations agency says Canada’s largest national park is now so threatened that it could likely be placed on the list of World Heritage sites in danger. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Giuliana Hauknes is on a team of Gateway Operators who monitor marine traffic in and around the Port of Prince Rupert, to help maintain the highest standards of safety and security. (Photo: Michael Ambach)

Gateway Operators monitor marine traffic and conditions 24/7

Helping vessels big and small safely navigate the Port of Prince Rupert

  • Jun 21, 2021
Giuliana Hauknes is on a team of Gateway Operators who monitor marine traffic in and around the Port of Prince Rupert, to help maintain the highest standards of safety and security. (Photo: Michael Ambach)
Adam Simons is the Environmental Coordinator at PRPA. The Environmental Sustainability team collects and shares information related to emissions, noise, and water quality from around the Prince Rupert Gateway, to mitigate the Port’s impact on the environment and the community. (Photo: Michael Ambach)

Air and water quality at the Port measured around-the-clock

Port Authority is eyes and ears along the coast tracking conditions above ground and underwater

  • Jun 14, 2021
Adam Simons is the Environmental Coordinator at PRPA. The Environmental Sustainability team collects and shares information related to emissions, noise, and water quality from around the Prince Rupert Gateway, to mitigate the Port’s impact on the environment and the community. (Photo: Michael Ambach)
Fire consumed a condo development project under construction at 208th Street and 80th Avenue Monday night, April 19. Many spectators shared their images. (Daniel Gerstner/Instagram: @gerstner/Special to Langley Advance Times)

Creek impacted by ‘millions of litres’ of chlorinated water used to fight B.C. condo fire

Local watershed group concerned about harm to creek and wants better protocols in place

Fire consumed a condo development project under construction at 208th Street and 80th Avenue Monday night, April 19. Many spectators shared their images. (Daniel Gerstner/Instagram: @gerstner/Special to Langley Advance Times)
An aerial view of the marine oil-spill near Bligh Island in Nootka sound that the Canadian Coast Guard posted in a live social media feed in December. ( Canadian Coast Guard/Facebook)

Oil from vessel that sank in 1968 off Vancouver Island to be removed

DFO hires Florida firm to carefully remove oil from MV Schiedyk in Nootka Sound starting in mid-June

An aerial view of the marine oil-spill near Bligh Island in Nootka sound that the Canadian Coast Guard posted in a live social media feed in December. ( Canadian Coast Guard/Facebook)
(Photo: Michael Ambach)

Students collaborate with Port Authority to preserve North Coast marine life

Coast Mountain College students gain first-hand experience at the Port of Prince Rupert

  • Jun 7, 2021
(Photo: Michael Ambach)
After 800 visitors were granted partial stays at BC Parks this summer in error, the ministry responsible is now saying sorry. (Black Press Media files)

BC Parks’ system grants 800 campsite bookings against provincial policy

The online portal granted numerous 1-night stays at campgrounds this August long weekend

After 800 visitors were granted partial stays at BC Parks this summer in error, the ministry responsible is now saying sorry. (Black Press Media files)
The Little Brown Myotis occurs across British Columbia but is threatened by white-nose syndrome, a bat disease. (Photo by B. Paterson)

Provincial bat count to monitor for impacts of white-nose syndrome

Almost half of British Columbia’s bat species are now at risk

The Little Brown Myotis occurs across British Columbia but is threatened by white-nose syndrome, a bat disease. (Photo by B. Paterson)