UPDATED: Former NDP politicians, Indigenous leaders call on Eby to recommit to climate action

A group of former NDP MPs and MLAs, Indigenous leaders, labour representatives and environmental advocates has published an open letter urging Premier David Eby's government to recommit to climate action and make it a provincial priority.

The letter, addressed to Eby and the BC NDP caucus, argues the province has moved away from its role as a climate leader, particularly through its support for liquefied natural gas development.

"We are no longer seeing the climate leadership that we and other British Columbians expect and deserve," the letter states. "If a plan is defined as setting appropriate targets, with a credible path for achieving them, then BC no longer has a climate plan."

When asked by Sitka Media about the coalition's letter at a press conference in Vancouver on Friday, Eby defended his government's support for LNG, arguing that the industry creates jobs, generates revenue and produces lower-emission natural gas than many competing jurisdictions.

He also suggested that if BC doesn't develop LNG projects, the industry would simply expand elsewhere.

"If we didn't build LNG in British Columbia, the United States would build it in Alaska," Eby said. "We would get none of the jobs, none of the revenue, none of the benefit, and it would be built to a lower standard with more pollution."

The signatories say BC once led North America on climate policy, pointing to the province's emissions targets, carbon pricing system and 2019 legislation requiring all new light-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emission by 2035.

They argue the province has backtracked on nearly every metric of progress. They cite the BC Climate Emergency Campaign's 2025 Climate Action Progress Report, which gave the provincial government failing grades in eight of 10 categories — its worst result since tracking began in 2021.

The group also criticizes the government's support for multiple LNG projects. It argues expanding natural gas production would increase carbon emissions, drive up domestic demand for natural gas and deepen conflict with Indigenous communities that oppose the projects.

Eby rejected that view, saying LNG Canada Phase 2 alone is expected to generate $28 billion in provincial revenue over the life of the project and create thousands of jobs. He also said countries in Asia prefer Canadian LNG because it has a lower carbon footprint than competing suppliers.

The signatories also say LNG contributes relatively little to provincial revenues. They note gas royalties accounted for just over one per cent of BC's total revenues last year while warning taxpayers could ultimately bear the cost of subsidizing the industry.

Instead, the group is urging the province to invest in renewable energy. It says renewable energy would strengthen the economy, create clean-energy jobs, protect consumers from unpredictable fossil fuel prices and improve public safety as extreme weather becomes more frequent.

"We call on you, Premier Eby, to recommit to provincial leadership by investing in a renewable energy future that strengthens our economy, builds clean jobs, protects consumers from unpredictable global prices for fossil fuels, protects public safety in increasingly extreme weather, and ensures our province remains beautiful for generations to come," the letter concludes.

The letter includes signatures from former federal NDP MPs Taylor Bachrach, Richard Cannings, Laurel Collins, Randall Garrison, Alistair MacGregor, Jim Manly and Bonita Zarrillo; former BC NDP MLAs Katrina Chen, Maurine Karagianis and Harold Steves; BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF) President Carole Gordon; Union of BC Indian Chiefs President Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Vice-President Chief Councillor Linda Innes and Secretary-Treasurer Chief Marilyn Slett; former BCTF president Irene Lanzinger; and former David Suzuki Foundation executive director Peter Robinson.

Former Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke MP Randall Garrison shared the open letter on social media, saying it calls on the provincial government to "recommit to provincial climate leadership amid fossil fuel expansion and worsening climate disasters."

This story has been updated after receiving a response from Premier David Eby.