Royal Society Fellows Warn Bill C-39 Risks Environmental Harm
What happened
Fifty-six fellows of the Royal Society of Canada published an open letter warning that Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, requires amendments to prevent 'costly and potentially irreversible harm' to the environment. The signatories, which include Sarah Otto, a zoology professor at the University of British Columbia, stated that while they support streamlining project assessments, the bill currently disregards existing environmental regulations and laws. The letter has been submitted as a brief to parliamentarians.
From bnnbloomberg.ca
Why it matters
The legislation aims to fast-track major projects, but the warnings from the scientific community suggest that the current draft may compromise protections for species at risk and delicate ecosystems. The concerns center on the potential for the government to bypass established environmental safeguards in the name of project speed.
From bnnbloomberg.ca
Who's involved
- Sarah OttoZoology professor at the University of British Columbia and signatory to the open letter
- University of British ColumbiaUniversity where Sarah Otto is employed as a professor
- Royal SocietyOrganization whose fellows signed the open letter regarding Bill C-39
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- ExxonMobilSpeculative
ExxonMobil might face increased regulatory risk and potential environmental costs related to large energy projects.
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The entities involved
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University of British Columbia
public research university in British Columbia, Canada
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Royal Society
English learned society for science
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