Politicians in Ottawa are under pressure to weaken the tanker ban. The best thing you can do right now is let your MP know where you stand. It takes less than five minutes and it matters.
Why This Matters to You
The tanker ban isn't about politics. It's about keeping the coast working for the people who live here.
Prevention Over Cleanup
It's far better — and far cheaper — to prevent a spill than to try to clean one up. The ban does exactly that.
Sustainable Foundations
BC's coastal economy doesn't run on oil. It runs on healthy water. Fishing, tourism, and marine work are here for the long term — as long as the water stays clean.
What the Coast Is Already Worth
Before anyone talks about what oil tankers might bring in, here's what BC's coast already produces every year:
Fisheries
$3 billion or more every year — salmon, halibut, herring, shellfish, and more.
Tourism
$4 billion or more every year — whale watching, sport fishing, kayaking, coastal lodges. People come here because the coast is still alive.
Marine Support Industries
Boat yards, mechanics, fuel docks, gear suppliers, processors — thousands of jobs that don't show up in oil company press releases.
Indigenous Economic Development
Guardian programs, sustainable tourism, food fisheries — thrive in clean water.
What We'd Be Gambling With
The North Coast still works. People fish in these waters, guide in them, and build a living from them. That's not something you can rebuild after a major spill — not in a year, not in a decade.
Once those livelihoods are gone, they don't come back on a timeline that works for a family with a boat loan and a mortgage.
Call Your MP Today
You don't need to be a politician or an expert. You just need to tell your MP: keep the tanker ban. Protect our coast. Don't trade our fishing grounds for someone else's profit.
Our coast. Our future. Our choice.
Sources for this page
ResearchGate
(PDF) Assessing the Economic Contribution of Ocean-Based Activities Using the Pacific Coast of British Columbia as a Case Study
PDF | Global obligations to achieve sustainable oceans by 2030 require countries to commit to solutions that balance ocean use and protection. To do so... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate