While contributing $15,000 to cover $1 per person from rural areas to join the Sue Big Oil initiative would be small in this year’s Sunshine Coast Regional District’s $65 million budget, elected officials could not find the appropriate fund for such a contribution. At the July 18 electoral services committee meeting, the members declined to recommend the board come up with the money to join in a potential class action suit.
Last November, the SCRD board asked staff to investigate if and how they could join the movement aimed at requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for a fair share of infrastructure repair and fortification efforts required as a result of climate change. A committee meeting agenda staff report indicated that Vancouver Island’s Capital Regional District board said “no” to the Sue Big Oil campaign but indicated willingness reconsider, if the class action is certified.
During discussion at the meeting, acting chief administrative officer Tina Perreault advised the committee that determining which regional district service to charge for the contribution “will require some legal review."
Potential for a province-wide discussion
The prospect of each of B.C.’s 27 regional districts each seeking independent legal advice on the complexities of joining Sue Big Oil elicited a statement of "frustration" from Area E director Donna McMahon. Perreault suggested this could be an item for discussion at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention, slated for September.
The Sue Big Oil movement, which includes Gibsons and District of Sechelt needs to secure participation from a sufficient number of local governments so the lawsuit can be certified. As of June 25, View Royal, Slocan, Qualicum Beach, Burnaby, Squamish, Port Moody and Cumberland had also signed up. The group estimates it needs groups representing a population of 500,000 (about 10 per cent of B.C.’s population) to move forward with the action.
According to a June 25 press release from West Coast Environmental Law (the legal firm involved in the effort) and others, more than 11,000 British Columbians have signed a declaration calling for B.C. local governments to Sue Big Oil. The campaign is endorsed by more than 40 organizations in B.C. and has volunteer action teams in communities throughout the province.
