Vancouver protests call for more action on climate change

Graffiti of the number 619 is popping up on sidewalks in Metro Vancouver to commemorate the people who died in a heat dome two years ago — it’s one of several ways advocates are calling for more action on climate change.

“The BC Climate Emergency Campaign has a list of 10 urgent actions that we’ve sent to the premier and they cover everything from transportation to agriculture to buildings. Most importantly, it’s about ending fossil fuel expansion,” said BC Climate Emergency Campaign’s Emiko Newman.

“B.C.’s current climate plan, which is called Clean BC is simply insufficient.”

The protestors outside David Eby’s office on Wednesday demanded the Premier create what they call a genuine climate emergency action plan. It was one of two climate protests in Vancouver on Wednesday — with the other taking place outside of the office of the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

“Trying to get the government to act on climate change. I’ve been doing this for years and years and years and — we are still fracking,” said protester Barbara Bradbury.

“We have had over 600 people die in B.C. from the heat dome we had, millions of animals were killed and it’s just going on and on and on and they keep expanding and expanding.”

 

As people begin to write the number 619 on sidewalks in Metro Vancouver, the group behind it says it wants action to stop another mass casualty event and makes several demands on its website. These demands include a mandated maximum indoor temperature of 23 degrees in apartments and public buildings, as well as 24-hour cooling centres.

CityNews asked the province’s Health Minister about the 619 initiative on Tuesday.

“We’re taking many actions here to respond to this issue,” he said. “We’re gonna have to do more and I wanna emphasize included in these actions, is a comprehensive action to address climate change in our province … but the response is not over.”

---

Related articles:

• Free air conditioners in B.C. a first step, but more still needed, advocates say

• B.C. announces free air conditioners for some vulnerable people

---

Protestors say action isn’t being taken fast enough – adding the impacts of climate change are already here.

“We all have been experiencing the wildfire smoke that is getting worse and worse each summer and that’s affecting the entire country, not only B.C.,” Newman added.

“As time goes on, everybody is going to be more and more impacted and harmed by the effects of the climate crisis.”

The calls for action come as Metro Vancouver faces another hot week — with temperature highs possibly reaching the 30s in some areas.