Oil & Gas Knew.
Oil & Gas Profited.
Oil & Gas must pay their fair share.
The Plan
We call on the City of Abbotsford to join with 9 other BC Municipalities to file a class action lawsuit to recover a fair share of our climate costs.
Either people like us pay for their mess with our taxes and increased insurance costs, or government compels Oil & Gas to pay their fair share of Climate Change Costs.
Oil & Gas Knew
For decades, scientists at the oil and gas corporations have known that burning fossil fuels would cause the heat waves, wildfires, drought and flooding that we’re now experiencing in BC. (source)And made record Profits
For decades after they knew, they happily increased the profits of their extractive industry, leaving behind a mess that someone is going to have to pay to clean up. Whether it is their abandoned wells or climate damage, or climate adaptation costs. (source)
Oil & Gas Need to Pay.
We must force oil and gas corporations to change their business practices and pay their fair share for the harm they’re causing. How do we pay for a safer and healthier future for all British Columbians?
Also, they Lied
These multinational companies spent millions to deceive, deny and distract us on their way to billions in profit by preventing action on climate change. (source)
British Columbians Want What is Fair
68.5% of British Columbians support their local government suing fossil fuel companies when they understand that the case is intended to recover climate costs that are otherwise paid by taxpayers. Fewer than 20% are opposed
Stretched Budgets
On top of the affordability crisis, and the normal high cost of living, insurance rates are increasing. Residents are being asked to pay more for city, provincial, and federal taxes. This is partly because of climate change costs resulting from the products of big Oil & Gas.
If THEY don’t pay, YOU will.
What’s fair for Oil & Gas to pay? 73%
The EPA, the IEA and Our World in Data (a project of Harvard) all indicate that about 73% of human caused greenhouse gas emissions have come from fossil fuels, their burning in industry, transportation, space heating, electricity production, their transportation, refining, mining. Roughly speaking 73% of the climate change crisis we have is caused by Oil & Gas companies and the products they sold.
Climate Change is Here
The flood on Sumas Prairie, the damage to Hwy 11, Hwy 5, Hwy 1, the 600 deaths from the 2021 heat dome, the loss of the village of Lytton, record destruction from recent wildfire seasons, smoke filled air to breath, increased costs for healthcare. Breached dikes the need to raise and relocate homes. The need to install cooling in homes. Climate Change is costing us dearly.
A Challenge from Burnaby City
- Burnaby has agreed to sign on to the class action lawsuit as long as at least 1 other BC municipality with a population over 150,000 does so.
- Abbotsford has 160,000+ residents and if we sign on, it would lock in Burnaby’s participation.
- Abbotsford City has an opportunity to show leadership here in partnership with Burnaby and 8 other cities.
What does Abbotsford City Council need to do?
- Pass a council motion committing Abbotsford to participate in the class action.
- Set aside $1 per resident to fund the class action.
- Direct staff to explore being the lead plaintiff in the class action.
- Commit to reaching out to other neighbouring municipalities to invite them to join the class action.
“Shell knew about the dangers of climate change from their internal research in the 1980s but, similar to other companies, took part in campaigns to spread doubt about the science of climate change.”
Abby Fair Share is the Abbotsford chapter of
