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DEFEND OUR COAST.

Is the BC Coast About to Become A Sacrifice Zone for Foreign Oil?

Bitumen is toxic, mutagenic, and flammable—lethal to sea life and dangerous to us. A major spill in our coastal waters wouldn’t just make a mess—it could wipe out our natural abundance, gut our coastal economy for decades, and permanently reshape life as we know it.

This is our moment to defend what we cannot replace.

A Dire Reality Unfolds

British Columbia's North Coast faces an unprecedented and imminent threat.

Foreign-owned oil conglomerates, emboldened by Alberta politicians, are relentlessly pushing to transform our pristine coast into a superhighway for bitumen supertankers destined for Chinese refineries.

These foreign-flagged behemoths, laden with catastrophically toxic diluted bitumen, would desecrate our vital waters, turning them into a perilous fossil fuel transit route. 

Our province is on the brink of becoming a sacrifice zone: Alberta profits, China secures its fuel supply, and British Columbia is left to bear all the environmental and economic risk with none of the reward.

Aaron Gunn - Toady for Big Oil?

This politician and social media personality brazenly tells British Columbians to "get out of the way" of Alberta's oil ambitions, dismissing grave environmental risks and advocating for unchecked oil transport through our sensitive waters.

Ellis Ross - Mr. Yes-And-No.

As an MP representing directly impacted coastal areas, Ellis Ross's baffling refusal to take a clear stance on supertankers leaves his constituents perilously exposed and vulnerable.

Gregor Robertson + Coastal Liberal MPs - Lost Your Way?

Coastal Liberal MPs and figures like MP and former Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson inexplicably remain silent, utterly failing to defend BC's coast at a moment when their influential voices are desperately needed against this aggressive push.

Prime Minister Mark Carney - Play 4D chess, win a stupid prize.

By not unequivocally upholding the federal tanker moratorium and weakening commitment to renewable energy, PM Carney risks alienating millions, igniting widespread protests, and cementing a legacy of prioritizing short-term economic gains over long-term environmental stewardship. #ElectoralQuagmire

British Columbia Premier David Eby  - Holding the Line.

So far Premier Eby has held firm in his opposition to bringing bitumen tanker traffic to our North Coast. His unwavering position upholds the provincial government's commitment to environmental protection, coastal communities, and our billion dollar marine economy. We need him and our elected representatives - regardless of party - to stand strong, despite immense pressure from foreign oil, Alberta politicians, and industry lobbyists.

Why Their Arguments Crumble

The oil lobby's talking points sound reasonable — until you examine them. Here's what they claim, and why it's wrong.

1

"Tankers are safe now."

Bitumen is not safe. It sinks and mutates living things. No tanker design changes that fundamental toxicity.

2

"BC has tankers in the south."

Unlike the South Coast, the North Coast is violent, shallow, narrow — and the legacy of the Exxon Valdez looms large.


3

"This helps Canada."

It helps foreign-owned oil firms export raw product to China. Zero Canadian refining. Zero Canadian jobs.

4

"Cleanup would be world-class."

There is no world-class cleanup for sunken bitumen. The technology doesn't exist.

Why Bitumen Makes BC a Sacrifice Zone

Bitumen is a low-grade of crude oil which is composed of complex, heavy hydrocarbons. If spilled into the natural environment in large quantities, it poses a major risk to fish, birds, whales, coastal wildlife, and the coastal environment. A major tanker spill in Hecate Strait or Dixon Entrance would be catastrophic for marine life, humans, and the coastal economy.

Toxic

Loaded with carcinogenic, mutagenic PAHs that poison marine ecosystems.

Mutagenic

Causes DNA damage in salmon fry, herring larvae, and shellfish.

Deadly

Kills nearly all marine life at early developmental stages.

Flammable

Explosive vapours create catastrophic fire risks on water.

Unrecoverable

Sinks, clumps, embeds in seabeds and shellfish beds forever.

Devastating

Deadly for fish, birds, whales, coastal wildlife, and human communities.

Ships Bearing Toxic Sludge

When Alberta's foreign-owned oil lobby tries to turn BC's North Coast into a sacrifice zone, we need to stand together and send a clear message: a hard, immovable NO.

Just like Gandalf stopping the Balrog on the bridge, BC stands between this coastline and the people who would destroy it for a quick export payday.

They may pressure Ottawa. They may whisper in Carney's ear. They may try to shame BC into silence.

But this is our line.

What BC Loses If We Allow This

BC becomes the sacrifice zone. The stakes are existential for coastal communities, Indigenous nations, and the marine ecosystems that have sustained life here for millennia.

Our Seafood Basket

Salmon, halibut, herring, crab — destroyed for generations. The foundation of our food security.

Our Paycheques

Fishing. Tourism. Charters. Ports. Marinas. Property Values. Local small business — all wiped out overnight. And gone for decades.

Our Culture and Heritage

Coastal First Nations lose the waters that have sustained them for thousands of years. For coastal communities it is the end of a way of life.

Our Tax Dollars

Ambiguous and uncertain gaps in liability. No checks on insurance. If a tanker ruptures, Canadians are largely on the hook until government can collect from industry.

The Wake-Up Call

Ottawa is testing us. Alberta is pushing. Lobbyists are circling. Coastal MPs are hoping we stay quiet.

This is the moment to show them:

BC's coast is not for sale.

Not negotiable. Not a sacrifice zone.

The Science Is Clear

Independent marine scientists and toxicologists have studied bitumen spills extensively.

The evidence is unequivocal: in the case of a large-scale tanker spill bitumen behaves differently than conventional crude oil, and the consequences are catastrophic.

1

Within Hours

Bitumen releases toxic volatile compounds that kill surface-feeding fish and seabirds.

2

Within Days

Heavier fractions sink to the seabed, embedding in sediments and shellfish beds.

3

Within Weeks

PAH compounds enter the food chain, causing mutagenic effects in larvae and fry.

4

Within Months

Commercial fisheries collapse as contamination spreads through spawning grounds.

5

For Generations

Toxic compounds persist in the marine environment, impossible to remove or remediate.

Who Benefits? Who Pays?

Follow the money. Follow the risk. The equation is brutally simple when you see who wins and who loses.

Who Benefits

Foreign-Owned Oil Companies

Export profits with zero Canadian refining or processing jobs.

Chinese Refineries

Receive raw bitumen at discount prices for their manufacturing sector.

Alberta Politicians

Campaign contributions and political capital from the oil lobby.

Who Pays

BC Coastal Communities

Jobs, fisheries, tourism, property values — all at risk for someone else's profit.

First Nations

Cultural heritage, traditional territories, treaty rights violated without consent.

BC Taxpayers

Cleanup costs, environmental remediation, economic losses — uncertain liability coverage.

By The Numbers

The North Coast isn't just beautiful — it's economically vital. Here's what we're putting at risk to serve foreign oil interests.

$1.1B

Annual Value

BC's commercial fishing industry contributes over a billion dollars annually to the provincial economy.

8,000+

Direct Jobs

Commercial fishing employment on BC's coast, supporting families and communities.

29

First Nations

Coastal Indigenous communities whose territories and livelihoods depend on these waters.

25,000km

Coastline at Risk

BC has the longest coastline in Canada — all of it threatened by one spill.


0%

Canadian Refining

None of this bitumen will be refined in Canada or create Canadian manufacturing jobs.

0%

Cleanup Success Rate

No technology exists to reliably recover toxic bitumen once it sinks beneath the surface of BC's turbulent coastal waters.

100%

Risk to BC

In event of a catastrophic spill, British Columbians, not Albertans will bear the economic, health, and environmental costs.

This Coast. Your Home. Your Fight.

The people trying to turn BC into a sacrifice zone are counting on you staying quiet. They're betting you won't speak up. They're hoping exhaustion and resignation will win.

Prove them wrong.

Make Noise

Send messages. Share this page. Talk to your neighbours. Silence is consent.

Contact Your MPs

Coastal Liberal MPs need to hear from you. Loudly. Repeatedly.

Support Premier Eby

He's holding the line. Show him BC has his back.

Tell Ottawa Loud and Clear:
BC Is Not A Sacrifice Zone

The next few months will determine whether BC's North Coast remains protected or becomes a sacrifice zone for foreign oil profits.

Tell Prime Minister Mark Carney: Don't make this your first political disaster.

Tell Gregor Robertson and coastal Liberal MPs: Pick a side. BC is watching.

Tell Premier David Eby: We've got your back. Hold the line.

Send Your Message Now