Our Accomplishments 

The Hidden Costs of Canada's Fossil Energy Expansion: A Panel Discussion

Thursday January 26, 6:30pm, Morris J Wosk Center for Dialogue SFU (580 West Hastings)

The UN Secretary General is very clear and vocal about the threat to global health and well-being from climate change. Secretary Guterres is also clear that no new fossil energy infrastructure should be built. The Government of Canada, however, argues that we should be allowed to continue expanding our oil and gas emissions well past 2030 and justifies this position based upon the profits to be made. This panel will examine the hidden costs of major Canadian fossil energy projects using the Trans Mountain Expansion project as a case-study, with consideration of work planned and ongoing on Wet'suet'en territory in Northern BC.

Charlene Aleck of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation will discuss the social and liability expense to her nation as they try to protect their rights and title to the lands and waters of Burrard Inlet.

Eugene Kung, Attorney with Westcoast Environmental Law, will speak from the 2022 report with Robyn Allen regarding the $17 B writedown that will be required for the Government to sell off the project as promised.

Kevin Cromar, Associate Professor of Environmental Health at NYU will speak to the social costs of 560,000 addition barrels of oil per day being extracted from the tarsands and burned.

Marc Lee, Senior Economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives will round out the panel with a discussion of the costs and absence of necessity outlined in the Oct. 2020 CCPA report by David Hughes, entitled, "Reassessment of Need for the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project".

The event is free but registration is required. An online option will also be available.

2022

Festive Hug

Sunday December 11 from 11am-3pm, Forest Grove Park, Burnaby 200 Soccer Field (8505 Forest Grove Dr, Burnaby, BC)

A Festive Hug brings more love to Burnaby Mountain on Sunday December 11, 2022!

Creating earth friendly crafts, we bring wonder and beauty to the trees as we stand in unity against the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion (TMX). Bring your family and friends and join others in this movement inspired by the festive season. Enjoy a community feast, hear music and speakers, participate in ceremony, and then hang your handmade decoration on the perfect bough along the path between Kwekwecnewtxw: the traditional Coast Salish Watch House and the gates to tank facility. All are welcome in our efforts to show our love for the planet! 

Watch-tower Tree Sit and Greenway Ground Camp Info Session and Tour

Wednesday November 9, Sunday November 13, and Wednesday November 16 at 1:00pm

Join Dr. Tim Takaro and members of Protect the Planet for an info session and site tour of the Watch-Tower Tree Sit and Greenway Ground Camp. Explore the beautiful Stoney Creek landscape, learn about why we want to stop the Trans Mountain Pipeline, and maybe catch a sighting of some spawning Chum salmon. Come prepared to be inspired, and maybe join the camp yourself!  

A March and Rally to Protect Stoney Creek

Saturday September 17, 2022 - a Pre-Rally celebration at 1:30 (9119 Avalon Avenue) and Rally at 2:30 (8765 Government Street) in Burnaby

Rally for the Planet and celebrate one of the few remaining iconic salmon streams on Burnaby Mountain. Meet the green new deal as outlined in person by Anjali Appadurai! We will also be celebrating Watch House Elder Jim Leyden's 70th birthday! The rally is on Stoney Creek which Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project intends to cross with a trench at 8765 Government Street in Burnaby. 

The birthday party has to be held a half kilometer away from there because Judge Fitzpatrick has forbidden the Watch House Elder from being that close to TMX construction (see map).

Saturday July 23 from 4:30-8:30pm at Maplewood Flats (2649 Dollarton Hwy)

Little Arts for Big Hearts

This was a fundraiser to support Indigenous-lead youth movements that are creating a future without pipelines.

Tuesday, July 5 at 7pm at Lochdale Hall (and online)

Don't Give Up! Town Hall about Together Stopping Trans Mountain

Protect the Planet helped to present a Town Hall and requested help with CANVASSING to reach new people and uplift youth voices. The purpose of the Town Hall was to raise awareness. The event featured Cedar George Parker, other youth speakers, Rueben George of Tsleil-Waututh Sacred Trust, and more.

Why? There is a youth movement rising this summer against Trans Mountain. The youth want to protect orcas, salmon, birds, and the inlet from the threats this pipeline and tanker expansion brings. Their vision has the power to unite people and bring harmony back to the land. This is their vision and their future; they need our support now. 

Tuesday June 28 at 7pm on ZOOM

Webinar "TMX Lights the Carbon Bomb"

Everyone who has worked to fight the construction of the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project will be familiar with the Canada Energy Regulator (formerly the National Energy Board) and knows it has been co-opted to act in the interests of big oil. But do you know about just how much our federal government has been co-opted as well? Science educator Jennifer Nathan has been following the Energy Regulator reports and parliamentary committee work on the oil and gas emissions cap, the net zero climate accountability act and fossil fuel subsidies. She told a gripping tale of the stark reality of the science of climate crashing up against the Machiavellian tactics used to silence the science and increase oil production in this country for decades to come. If TMX is completed, it lights the carbon bomb that explodes the world past 1.5 degrees C yet our own government keeps that information from us. 

Watch the recording here.

Monday, June 13, 2022 from 9-10:00am at the BC Supreme Court, Nelson and Hornby , Vancouver BC

Who Are the Real Climate Criminals: Join the Rally for Justice and Climate Action

A rally was held to support public health physician, Dr. Tim Takaro who was sentenced to 30 days in jail for blocking the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion (TMX). Many people attended and spoke at the event to acknowledge and protest the the sentencing of Dr. Takaro and the 250 previous TMX arrestees fighting for future generations. 

Monday, May 9, 2022 at 9:00am PST, BC Court House, Vancouver

Court Support - Stand with Will

The Mountain Protectors held the event at the BC Supreme Court to support courageous land defender Will George from Tsleil Waututh. Even though the TransMountain pipeline had supposedly halted expansion construction from Dec 16, 2020 to the end of January, 2021, Will was convicted for violating the TMX injunction in January 2021. 

Saturday May 7 (Mother's day weekend) people from across the Lower Mainland joined together to Hug Burnaby Mountain  as they stood against the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion to protect the planet!

Hug Burnaby Mountain 

Family and friends and others assembled in a human chain, circling Burnaby Mountain in a hug, to convey a powerful message of shared concern for our Mother Earth. The event was inspired by other iconic human chains in history and around the world. 

Vancouver Unitarians held a special Earth Day Service on April 24, 11:00. 

Earth Day Service: Facing the Climate Crisis

The topic was "Facing the climate crisis in 2022: What does bold climate action look like?" The guest Speaker was Dr. Tim Takaro, the original tree sitter and the Prison Repertoire music was provided by the Brunette River Six Prayer Circle Arrestees.

 Friday, April 22, 4:30-6:00pm starting at Vancouver City Hall and ending on the north side of Cambie bridge at Coopers Park.

Earth Day International Declaration for Action rally

The event was co-presented by Protect the Planet, Climate Convergence, Save Old Growth, Extinction Rebellion, Ada'itsx/Fairy Creek Blockade and others. The event featured Brent Eichler, who had been on hunger strike for 29 days in an effort to convince the Minister of Forests, the honourable Katrine Conroy, to host a public meeting on protecting the last remaining old growth forests in British Columbia. The event will also honoured Howard Breen in Nanaimo, who had been on hunger strike for 22 days for the same reason.

Launched in recognition of Earth Day, Friday, April 22. 

Magnitude of All Things 

The National Film Board of Canada, the Telus Fund, Cedar Island Films and Flying Eye Productions proudly presented a film by Sundance and Genie award-winning-director Jennifer Abbott. Jennifer Abbott's new documentary The Magnitude of All Things merges stories from the frontlines of climate change with recollections of the loss of her sister, drawing intimate parallels between personal and planetary grief.

Every Friday from 12 noon - 2pm at Lougheed Highway and Gaglardi Way.

Fridays for Future Vancouver Weekly Rally

The rally was aimed at protect students from the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion getting constructed less than 100 meters from Burnaby Mountain secondary School. A burst from this pipeline would destroy the school.

Vancouver Gallery on Saturday, April 9th

This Pipeline Ends Here: Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust Rally

The Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust called on Prime Minister Trudeau to abandon pipeline construction and to show investors that we are not going anywhere.  There is more information here.

Tuesday March 29th

Court Support - Stand with Will George

A rally at the BC Supreme Court House was held to support courageous land defender Will George from Tsleil Waututh. Even though the Trans Mountain pipeline had supposedly halted expansion construction from Dec 16, 2020 to the end of January, 2021, Will was nonetheless convicted for violating the TMX injunction in Jan 2021. 

Vancouver, held Friday, March 25, 2022

Youth Climate Strike

The Youth Climate Strike will be led by the Sustainabiliteens, in partnership with CJUBC (Climate Justice UBC). The March began at the Vancouver Art Gallery and ended at Jack Poole Plaza, with stops at RBC, TD and Liberty Mutual. The art-based action targeted banks and insurance companies that are pouring billions of dollars into new fossil fuel projects - knowing full well it's hurting people and communities. Find more information here.

February 22, 2022

Zoom Concert and Twitter Protest

Happy 80th, Catherine! There was a celebration evening with a musical Zoom concert that also creates a Twitter Storm on behalf of the Brunette River 6.  The Zoom Twitter Storm Concert was an event that brought people together on Zoom and Tweet in protest while listening to music. It was an easy way to hold a protest on social media and have some fun at the same time.

Vancouver Courthouse for the Brunette River 6

Valentine's Day Rally

Rally to Support Students Facing a Pipeline 

On Friday, February 18 a rally was held at the Lougheed Highway and Gaglardi Way Intersection in Burnaby.

The rally was in support of students on their way to school which is now less than 100m away from Trans Mountain Oil Pipeline construction. This peaceful protest was intended to raise awareness that a building new fossil fuel infrastructure next to Burnaby Mountain Secondary School's 1500 students is wrong. 

Court Support Rally for the "Brunette River Six". A rally was held to support the "Brunette River Six" who were in the BC Supreme Court February 14 & 15, 2022 to face charges of 'criminal contempt of court'. All 6 were facing 14-28 days in jail for peacefully stopping tree-cutting at a Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) Pipeline work site in Burnaby in the Fall of 2021. See Press Releases for more information.

Submissions before the Canada Energy Regulator (CER). Local environmental groups are renewing calls for the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) to deny Trans Mountain Pipeline's proposal to relocate and redrill 350 metres of its new pipeline tunnel under the Fraser River after parts of the tunnel collapsed in November. Six NDP Members of Parliament have added their voices in a letter to the CER and Minister Jonathon Wilkinson. See Press Releases for more information.

2021 

November

Earlier in the month, Trans Mountain (TM) attempted to force the tree sitters out of the trees by preventing any access to food and water. A Flash Rally was held to demand TM allow these life essentials to reach he people in the trees. Food offerings for tree sitters were welcome.

In the early morning hours of November 23rd another tree-sit went up at Lougheed and Gaglardi in Burnaby, near Stoney Creek. On Friday, November 26th a "militarized" team of about 20 officers set up in the morning and then used a bucket lift to reach the protester. Dr. Tim Takaro, who had been camped out in a tree, was arrested and removed after blocking TMX construction work for three days.

The Burnaby RCMP said in a statement that "A man was safely removed from a tree-sit this morning in an area that violates an Injunction Order preventing Trans Mountain work and access from being impeded or obstructed'. Further that "Officers who specialize in high-angle rescue were brought in to help remove the demonstrator from the tree to ensure safety ... The demonstrator was given a court date and released on scene." This was the ninth arrest in Burnaby since January 1, 2021 for Criminal Contempt of Court related to the Injunction Order.

October

Our treehouses were continuously occupied and tirelessly supported by countless brave land defenders for the past fourteen months. Three weeks after TM enclosed our tree sits with blue fencing, a RCMP tactical team moved in and removed the sky pods and tree platforms.

September

On September 07th TM laid siege to the Lost Creek tree sits, fencing off the entire area. Our climbers immediately ascended more trees and set up 'Sky Pods', which are tree hammocks high above the ground directly in the way of TMX tree clearing.

May

Water is Life: a call to action to protect the Fraser River. May 29th at Maquabeak Park, Coquitlam, supporters came together on the banks of the Fraser River to bear witness as Chief Judy Wilson and other Indigenous leaders from along the pipeline route, hels a public water ceremony to offer prayers for the protection of the fish, animals, plants, people and ways of life that depend on its health. We all need to take a stand against all that is threatened by the entire TMX project and this was a chance show solidarity with Indigenous peoples upholding their rights and practicing their sacred responsibility to defend these lands and waters.

TM's plans to drill under the Fraser River, the world's largest salmon river, threatens the peoples, the salmon and all living things who depend on its health. People across B.C. are united by the iconic and mighty Fraser. An accident during construction or an oil spill anywhere from the headwaters to the Salish Sea would be catastrophic.

April - August

Tiny hummingbird nests stopped construction on the TMX pipeline in B.C. for 4 months after members of the Community Nest Finding Network (CNFN) alerted federal wildlife officers about concerns that TMX workers in Burnaby were not complying with the Migratory Birds Convention Act. Officers saw the felling of a tree with a hummingbird's nest in it and as a result, Environment and Climate Change Canada issued the stop-work order to a 900-metre area along the Brunette River for the duration of the nesting period from April 26th until August 21st.

March/April

There were multiple prayer circle actions, a few brave arrests, lots of tree-sit tours and Holding the Red Line events. A highlight was the wonderful march up to the Watch House to celebrate its three year anniversary!

A dozen faith-based pipeline opponents risked arrest in an attempt to block TMX construction in Burnaby. The action involved practitioners in the Unitarian, Christian and Buddhist traditions. One person was arrested at the site.

We Drew the Red Line to stopTMX in Coquitlam, Burnaby, Victoria and New Westminster... anywhere that is affected by the black snake. Because of Covid, we showed our concern safely, with distance and a masked action. We held signs and red material as we made a line of caring humans in an impacted area (wetlands, watershed, park, coastline etc. and videoed our proud red line with a Rope of Hope to protect what we love and value.

February

The People's Assembly virtual gathering allowed various groups to collaborate on what we are doing to stop TMX . The Assembly featured a range of people working at the grassroots level: tree sitters, Adopt-a-Pipeline surveillance, public education and outreach, #1308trees campaign, and more. This virtual event took place on the unceded land of the Coast Salish Peoples.

On Family Day citizens in four cities took to overpasses and roads, taking selfies and posting their safely distanced #stopTMX signs and protests.

Stoney Creek Tours showed the sensitive salmon and nootsack dace habitat and the many trees, including a grandmother cedar tree slated for destruction. Over a hundred locals have taken these tours to view the beauty and vibrancy of the urban forest ecosystem that was slated to be torn apart to make room for a soon to be pointless pipeline.

January

The Stoney Creek Arrests resulted from protests against the construction work in the salmon bearing watershed around the creek. Police arrested a local grandmother who was not going to let her community be taken over without a fight. We are all so proud of Maxine and her backup team of protestors.

2020

October

XR Vancouver held two weeks of events to end Fossil Fuel Subsidies. The final day people marched from Nelson Park through downtown, ending with action at Main and Broadway.

September

On World Rivers Day dozens of volunteers hauled out over 20 bags of garbage from the Lower Brunette (near Hume Park in New Westminster). This is just one of a number of efforts we have made to show our care and love for our local watersheds.

September - December

The Original Treehouse was built in the giant Cottonwoods near Holmes Creek. Timothee Govare and his many dedicated assistants, including the climbing crew of Amanda and Kurtis, built this beautiful tree house to protect this delicate riparian zone. Sadly, TM and the RCMP raided it and now there is only barbed wire, security fences, manned surveillance and motion detectors to keep out the local citizens who only want to protect their salmon streams and valuable watersheds.

After the RCMP assault, a new tree camp was established at Lost Creek, just 500 m further down the pipeline route. Until it was taken down recently it was visible from the TransCanada and from the Brunette Greenway.