The Narwhal

The iconic water bomber was invented in Canada and transformed the way wildfires are fought. Now, a Calgary-based aerospace company wants to sell 50 new water bombers to the federal government, but experts question whether it’s the right answer to Canada’s worsening wildfire crisis.

Young people are taking the feds to court, arguing Canada’s climate law fails to protect their Charter rights. Ottawa says its control over climate change is limited. The trial could reshape climate accountability. @stefanlabbe.bsky.social's first for The Narwhal: thenarwhal.ca/canada-youth...

Governments and industry have big plans for the Port of Churchill. First Nations are gathering to sort through what it means for their territories. Via @evawasney.bsky.social:

Severe flooding over Canada Day is still top of mind in Ottawa, heading into the municipal election. Mayoral candidates are offering up their plans for prevention and response as extreme weather becomes more common in the changing climate.

The BC Conservatives have won a majority government following BC NDP leader David Eby's decision to call a snap election almost two years ahead of schedule. Here's what a Conservative majority means for LNG, Indigenous Rights and more #bcpoli thenarwhal.ca/bc-election-...

It’s election season, pretty much everywhere across Canada. Amid the chaos, the imperilled natural world keeps going. Our latest newsletter:

In 2019, cities across the GTA declared a climate emergency. They pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but have struggled to do so — often due to circumstances beyond their control. Following Monday’s election, will new councils have the tools to do better?

For 20 years now, TLKemchEEN (Lytton First Nation) has rallied volunteers to brave white-water rapids and protect fish by recovering discarded fishing gear — or ghost nets — from the Fraser and Thompson rivers.

It's here! Your guide to what the BC NDP, Conservatives and Greens are promising on climate and environment issues in this election via @sobittersosweet.bsky.social #bcpoli

The steel-maker ArcelorMittal Dofasco said it would clean up its contaminated docking area in Hamilton Harbour by 2017. Nearly a decade later, that work is far from done.

There are 51 Toronto mayoral candidates that aren't Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford. After speaking to one with decent climate cred and a solid resume, @balkissoon.bsky.social wishes the city had a chance to meet more of them.

For years, Kaska Nation has been working to conserve one of the largest intact wilderness areas in B.C. The snap election — and possible change in government — has cast doubt over the future of those protections.

Bill C-39 reshapes how consultation is done on major mining, oil and gas and infrastructure projects in Canada — and shortens timelines for environmental review. Earlier this month, the Carney government was questioned by senators on what it means for Indigenous Rights.

It isn’t climbers vs. neighbours: more than 1,000 pages of emails show what’s beneath the conflict in Devil’s Glen Provincial Park, Ontario.

Tranquil Creek, near Tofino, flows too fast and too straight for optimal salmon spawning — a result of damage caused by historic logging. So Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation is installing logjam barriers to slow the river down and recreate the pools, eddies and meandering channels salmon are drawn to.

With climate change largely absent from the leaders’ debate and voters focused on the cost of living, B.C.’s main parties are giving environmental policy little airtime. Experts warn sidelining the climate crisis could carry long-term economic and health costs. #bcpoli

There’s a fracking boom underway in Alberta, and it’s consuming billions of litres of fresh water per year. Reporter @drewanderson.bsky.social and photojournalist @amberbracken.bsky.social toured a rural fracking hot spot to document the industry’s impacts on local communities.

Allegations of threats, vandalism and physical altercations have punctuated the relationship between rock climbers and neighbours of this Ontario park. At the root of it is the actions — and inactions — of Ontario’s Environment Ministry. thenarwhal.ca/ontario-rock...

Since 2020, the last seven caribou of the Val d'Or herd have lived in captivity. As the herd faces imminent extinction, Lac Simon Anishnabe Nation is taking the fight for survival to court.

Sunny, windy Alberta is a leader when it comes to renewable energy in Canada. But new provincial policies are trying to rein in that growth. The Narwhal’s senior Prairies reporter, @drewanderson.bsky.social, explains.

Badly maintained trails are preventing access to wide swaths of backcountry in Rocky Mountain national parks. But some argue that’s good news for wildlife. Should Parks Canada restore access to backpackers?

These documents, prepared for a meeting of groups advocating for the oil and gas industry, were hiding in plain sight. Our latest newsletter:

A former director of the committee overseeing Canada-U.S. water relations says, despite President Donald Trump’s move to change the name of Lake Ontario, the real threat to the Great Lakes is a shift away from research and monitoring: “If you can’t understand the lakes, you can’t protect the lakes.”

After losing his mother, an orphaned polar bear now has a new home at Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg. Zoo living isn't perfect, but with orphaned cubs having a small chance of survival on their own, it's one of few options, though experts say true rehabilitation should be a goal.

A document meant for a behind-closed-doors group of fossil fuel advocates earlier this year got right to the point: Canada’s policies to fight the climate crisis, protect nature and defend Indigenous Rights are a “problem” and environmental organizations are “opponents” thenarwhal.ca/fossil-fuel-...

Presentations and videos from a network of 30-plus pro-fossil fuel groups show a coordinated effort to influence public opinion on climate change, and challenge environmental groups, journalists and First Nations land defenders. @meyer.bsky.social has the exclusive.

The small Transcona nature preserve, which is surrounded by industrial warehouses and car dealerships, is facing extensive restoration after an Amazon-hired contractor drove heavy equipment through the park this summer. My latest for @thenarwhal.ca 🌾

On the B.C. campaign trail, both the NDP and the Conservatives have spoken against the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. @sobittersosweet.bsky.social breaks down whether DRIPA actually threatens private property rights or makes development less certain.

A contractor at an Amazon warehouse in Winnipeg drove through a rare tallgrass prairie next door, levelling plants and turning up soil. Neighbours and experts say it will take a lot to restore the rare ecosystem.

Canada has more lakes than any other country. With devastating wildfire seasons becoming more common, scientists are learning how they affect the water.

The Pacific Link pipeline moved another step forward last week, marking an expensive truce between Canada and Alberta, @drewanderson.bsky.social writes. Despite the two governments agreeing it would be financed by the private sector, taxpayers were always going to foot the bill.

What do major project announcements have to do with the the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation? More than you might think

“It’s an example of something we rarely talk about: a story gone right.” Safe drinking water doesn’t happen by accident. @meyer.bsky.social got an exclusive tour inside one of Ottawa’s water treatment plants to learn what it takes.

Safe drinking water doesn’t happen by accident. In the Canadian capital, it takes an intricate process of pumps and pipes to bring millions of litres of water to Ottawans every day — and @meyer.bsky.social got a tour of them.

In Manitoba, a campground near the former Brandon Indian Residential School has been acquired by the province to educate future generations on the horrors of residential schools. In an era of denialism, Premier Wab Kinew said it's important to keep the "truth alive." thenarwhal.ca/manitoba-res...

Three hydroelectric dams on the Skagit River in Washington state have long blocked salmon from migrating north into British Columbia. Now, fish passage around the dams may be restored, and First Nations are preparing for the potential return of salmon to their territories.

LNG Canada has green-lit an expansion at its liquefaction and export facility in Kitimat, B.C. The plan is to double production at the LNG plant, bringing more gas, infrastructure and emissions to B.C.’s North Coast.

The proof is in the underwear. Farmers are finding ways to reduce environmental impacts while growing more food. We visited two farms to see just how they’re doing it.

More than 38,000 residential school survivors testified to the abuse they experienced as children. Next September, Canada plans to destroy their records.

Between Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Bill C-39 and B.C. Premier David Eby’s snap election, it’s been quite the week in politics. Get the scoop in our latest newsletter:

LNG Canada wants B.C. to increase how much gas it can flare until its systems can be redesigned in 2028. The company hosted community meetings to talk about it and @writermjs.bsky.social was there. #bcpoli

Nova Scotia communities are pushing back on two proposed power plants, underscoring broader concerns about fast-tracking projects without adequately considering environmental and social impacts, @camfenton.bsky.social reports.

Manitoba has far fewer orphan oil and gas wells than other western provinces. That's partly because Manitoba's oil and gas industry is smaller, but it could also be the result of policy differences between the provinces.

The B.C. government gave FortisBC's Tilbury LNG Phase 2 expansion its environmental assessment certificate hours before the snap election call. Critics say the approval rubber stamps a 10-fold increase in LNG production on the banks of the Fraser River via @sobittersosweet.bsky.social #bcpoli

When Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government proposed overhauling environmental assessments and major project approvals last spring, they were warned against centralizing power and infringing on Indigenous Rights. Critics say Bill C-39 does just that.

Nova Scotia repealed its decades-old moratorium on uranium mining last year. For now, mining companies appear to be snubbing the province’s open call for uranium exploration, but some residents are still petitioning for the ban to be reinstated.