Last year alone, Vancouver spent over $50 million to repair damages caused by climate change. Taxpayers have been stuck with the bill, while big oil companies are raking in record profits.

Climate Change and its related damages are only going to get worse and more expensive if we fail to act. Oil Companies have known this all along, yet they’ve misled the public to sow doubt in climate science and delay government action. 

Last year, Green City Councillor, Adriane Carr, put Vancouver in the lead to make polluters pay with a motion for Vancouver to support a class action lawsuit against BIG Oil. A successful lawsuit could compensate BC Municipalities for the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars spent to mitigate, adapt to, and repair damages caused by climate change. 

There are precedents for such a lawsuit. Similar suits against big tobacco and pharmaceutical companies have been successful. And in a 2021 landmark case, a Dutch court ruled that Shell must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030, based on 2019 levels. 

The municipal class action lawsuit led by Vancouver is now in jeopardy.

Councillor Carr’s motion directed city staff to include up to $1 per Vancouver resident ($662,248) in the 2023 budget for a class action suit, but no money was allocated in this year’s draft budget. Councillor Carr will table an amendment to the 2023 budget to dedicate funds towards a Sue Big Oil joint lawsuit. She needs your help to make sure it’s successful.

Please sign-up to learn how you can help and to let Vancouver City Council know you want their continued support for a class action municipal lawsuit against BIG OIL.