Environment lacking as key issue during B.C.'s election period

Wildfires and extreme temperatures are affecting residents, but B.C. officials haven't offered real plans

Chart by Leger

During the 2024 provincial election, the environment was noticeably absent from the election campaign, despite climate related issues like wildfires and flooding increasingly affecting Canadians, and especially British Columbians.

Residents and voters concerned about the environment were confused when it was left out of discussions during the election campaign.

“This is not an issue like the others. It’s an existential question,” said Hamish Telford, a political science professor at the University of the Fraser Valley.

He believes the government must address this topic in the same way the other issues like

housing affordability are.

Heading into B.C.’s election, each party laid out their plans for issues voters were concerned about, including the environment.

David Eby’s NDP promised to cut down on carbon pollution and to widen Highway 91 to prevent a repeat of the 2021 flooding in Sumas.

John Rustad, who was kicked out of the Liberal party for comments denying climate change, has since changed his stance. He said climate change is a real issue, and the Conservatives stated they would remove the carbon tax. Rustad said taxing people isn’t going to change the weather.

Sonia Furstenau and the Greens offered the most thought-out plans surrounding the environment, but with the NDP and Conservatives leading the race those ideas looked to be the least realistic.

The Greens want to develop a new Climate Action Plan and reduce fossil fuels, while introducing taxes on oil and gas companies.

During the B.C. leaders debate in October, many provincial issues like housing and healthcare were discussed, however, the environment was only briefly mentioned.

At a time when voters and residents could hear plans to address the environment, there was silence.

“We have the most violent hurricane (in) Florida, and (there are) two leaders retreating from climate action,” said Furstenau during the debate.

Eby and Rustad went back and forth arguing about each other's climate takes, instead of laying out solutions. Eby didn't recap what his government had done since being elected.

Furstenau spent much of the debate keeping Rustad and Eby in check about their environmental claims, but she didn’t offer any viable solutions in rebuttal.

Whatever the party leaders have said about the environment, it’s a real problem that needs to be addressed now, and experts agree.

Telford says solving other issues won’t matter if something as severe as the environment is not addressed now.

“(It) doesn’t matter if we make housing more affordable if it’s just (going to) burn down in a forest fire in the summer.”                                                                                            

Forty-four per cent of Canadians are “very concerned” about climate change, while 32 per cent are “somewhat concerned,” a poll by Leger found. Thirteen per cent of respondents answered “not at all concerned.”

The Climate Institute of Canada said forest fire season is lasting longer and is becoming harder to contain.

Climate Central, a U.S. research group, says B.C. is the most affected area in Canada for climate change and temperature increases, with some of the hottest temperatures on the planet not near the equator.