Climate protesters to hold demonstration on Trans-Canada Highway on Monday

A protest in support of saving old-growth forests will disrupt traffic on the Trans-Canada Highway on Monday.

Extinction Rebellion and Save Old Growth, the advocacy groups organizing the event, say the demonstrations will happen in Nanaimo and Vancouver.

PRESS RELEASE – Disruption continues and many more to be arrested as Save Old Growth moves into second week of Trans-Canada Highway actions

For Immediate Release #SaveOldGrowthhttps://t.co/eP8mgGbRnP

— Save Old Growth (@saveoldgrowth) January 16, 2022

Save Old Growth is a new direct action group that is calling on the BC government to end old-growth logging. Extinction Rebellion is a well-established climate justice movement based on nonviolent civil disobedience.

Monday’s Vancouver protest will begin on Comox Street and Terminal Avenue at 11 a.m.

Later in the week, there will be more disruptions in areas like Victoria and Revelstoke.

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“We will wear masks, socially distance, and anyone ill has been asked to stay safe at home,” said a statement from Extinction Rebellion and Save Old Growth on Sunday.

“Highway 1 off-ramps will continue to be blocked multiple times per week, and the frequency and scale of actions will escalate until all old-growth logging is stopped. The government has an option to fulfill its election promises or send nonviolent people on the motorways to jail.”

The organizations gave the B.C. government a deadline to end all old-growth logging by Jan. 9. Since that deadline was not met, they are going forward with the campaign.

The BC government has not kept it’s own promise to stop active old growth logging and in doing so is failing to keep it’s citizens safe. This morning we began civil resistance on Trans-Canada highway and will not stop until this demand is met #SaveOldGrowth pic.twitter.com/ohf2VjkrDM

— Save Old Growth (@saveoldgrowth) January 10, 2022

“The Horgan government has mastered the bad political flip-flop having repeatedly made past election promises to protect old-growth forests and stop raw log exports, yet Nanaimo voters are far savvier than what the NDP flip-floppers have given them credit for,” said Nanaimo spokesperson Vic Brice.

He says he hopes the protests remind British Columbians and their government of the importance of sustainable logging practices.

“This campaign is a first step in demanding that the government takes real, concrete climate action, reflective of the severity of this ecological emergency,” added Olivia, a 19-year-old university student and an organizer of Save Old Growth, in Sunday’s statement.