Seniors block downtown street for old-growth logging protest in Victoria
Approximately 200 seniors gathered on the lawn of B.C.'s legislature in Victoria on Thursday to protest old-growth logging in the province.
The seniors say they're calling for a recently approved two-year deferral of old-growth logging in areas of Vancouver Island to be extended across the entire province.
Some of the seniors say they're willing to be arrested for their beliefs, and about two dozen spread across a downtown Victoria street, blocking vehicle access.
"The premier and his cabinet need to keep their election promises to implement the old-growth strategy report in its totality," said 92-year-old Clare Lowery in a statement Wednesday. "We cannot build a future on broken promises."
Last week, three Vancouver Island First Nations notified the province that they would be suspending all old-growth logging activity on their lands for the next two years as the nations worked on long-term resource stewardship plans.
On Monday, forestry company Teal-Jones said it would abide by the First Nations declaration, and on Wednesday the B.C. government accepted the request.
The deferred lands include 884 hectares of old forests in the Fairy Creek watershed, near Port Renfrew, and 1,150 hectares of old growth in the central Walbran valley, near Lake Cowichan, where protesters have been set up since August 2020.
Seniors are seen protesting old-growth logging outside of the B.C. legislature on June 10, 2021: (CTV News)Despite the two-year deferral, some say the suspension does not go far enough.
Protesters in the Fairy Creek watershed say "very few have left" after news broke that the deferral had been approved on Wednesday.
The three First Nations behind the deferral – the Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht and Pacheedaht – say no other groups have a right to speak on their behalf.
"We expect everyone to allow forestry operations approved by our nations and the Government of British Columbia in other parts of our territories to continue without interruption," said the nations in a joint statement Wednesday.
On Wednesday, B.C. Premier John Horgan said significant changes to the province's forestry industry would take time to implement.
"I’m hopeful that those who have taken to the roads of southern Vancouver Island will understand that this process is not one that can happen overnight," said Horgan.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Stormy Daniels is expected to appear at Trump's hush money trial on Tuesday
Donald Trump returns to the hush money trial Tuesday facing a threat of jail time for additional gag order violations as prosecutors gear up to summon big-name witnesses including porn actor Stormy Daniels.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.