Island Insider

380 Articles

New federal funding buoys First Nations' efforts to protect Great Bear Sea

Coastal First Nations striving to protect to B.C.’s Great Bear Sea got a boost after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $800 million in funding for Indigenous-led conservation projects on Wednesday.

Negotiating survival

By Rochelle Baker | News, Climate Solutions Reporting, Island Insider | December 7th 2022

Canadian researchers want to use satellites to monitor at-risk whales and other ocean creatures from space. Illustration by Ata Ojani

The race to spy Canada’s whales from space

Canadian scientists are launching efforts to use satellites as benevolent eyes in the sky to monitor whales and other at-risk ocean creatures and keep them safe.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Island Insider | December 2nd 2022

‘It takes a lot of courage to be a whistleblower’

Concerns over questionable RCMP tactics raised by an officer involved in the crackdown at the Fairy Creek old-growth blockades in the summer of 2021 are not surprising, says a lawyer representing dozens of activists.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Island Insider | November 28th 2022

‘I did not want to be involved’: Police officer quits task force over concerns about RCMP tactics at Fairy Creek

A member of the RCMP’s controversial Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) resigned from the unit over concerns about “unjustifiable” police behaviour during a crackdown on Fairy Creek old-growth activists, a freedom-of-information request shows.

By Rochelle Baker & Jennifer Osborne | News, Island Insider | November 24th 2022

Hundreds of B.C. businesses are partnering with environmental groups to urge new Premier David Eby to commit to protecting the province's at-risk ecosystems before the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal next month. Submitted photo

Businesses ally with environmental groups to push B.C. to protect biodiversity

As many as 250 businesses are backing a resolution urging B.C.’s new Premier David Eby to stave off the extinction and climate crisis by backing the federal government’s 30x30 promise — to protect 30 per cent of the country’s land and waters by 2030.

Negotiating survival

By Rochelle Baker | News, Climate Solutions Reporting, Island Insider | November 19th 2022

Biologist and activist Alexandra Morton says recent decisions to shut down open net-pen fish farms in B.C. and Washington state suggest the writing is on the wall for the industry. File photo

Wild salmon conservationists celebrate new victories

Open net-pen fish farming on the Pacific coast took a one-two punch after operations closures were announced in both B.C. and Washington state this week.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Island Insider | November 17th 2022

Protecting B.C.'s at-risk species

Long-standing legal gaps at the federal and provincial level are aggravating threats of extinction in B.C., a report commissioned by conservation groups suggests.

Negotiating survival

By Rochelle Baker | News, Climate Solutions Reporting, Island Insider | November 16th 2022

A deeper dive into the marine protected network plan on Canada’s West Coast

The lack of detailed protection measures for a network of marine protected areas in B.C. means the ambitious project to conserve vital ocean ecosystems risks becoming a string of “paper parks,” environmental groups say.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Island Insider | November 4th 2022

Rewilding a school wetland is a lesson in climate resilience

“I can’t think of anything more hopeful than getting involved in rewilding and restoration projects," says teacher Sheldon Etheridge on Quadra Island's school wetland project, which will be an outdoor classroom and mitigate climate change in the community.

Youth climate action

By Rochelle Baker | News, Island Insider | October 27th 2022

North Island MP calls on feds to increase funding transfers for health care

But experts question if money will be enough to fix the health crisis in B.C. or anywhere else given the unending impasse over transfer funds between Ottawa and the provinces.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Island Insider | October 26th 2022

Island Insider

Pages