Traffic continues to be slow northbound along the Trans Canada Highway south of West Shore Parkway due to a protest by Save Old Growth members, but vehicles are getting through with a single southbound lane opened up for northbound travellers.
Save Old Growth said earlier Wednesday in a statement that its supporters would be blocking the highway as they demand the provincial government legislate an end to all old-growth logging in B.C.
Breaking – Trans-Canada Highway shut down on Vancouver Island.
The government continues to fail in providing us with a livable future and so we continue to disrupt.#SaveOldGrowth pic.twitter.com/DoTacWdi2G
— Save Old Growth (@saveoldgrowth) April 20, 2022
Traffic is backed up past Spencer Road pic.twitter.com/7NgOmf4tiK
— Victoria News (@VictoriaNews) April 20, 2022
#BCHwy1 – Northbound lanes blocked at West Shore Parkway due to demonstration. Crews are on scene, expect delays due to congestion in the area. Next update at approximately 4:30 PM. More info here: https://t.co/lSdR0a9MzS #Malahat #VanIsle #WestShore pic.twitter.com/9rXMEToeWW
— DriveBC (@DriveBC) April 20, 2022
“After years of petitions, marches, and letter-writing campaigns to protect old-growth forests, it’s clear that we – the public – must enter into civil resistance to protect these ancient giants once and for all,” the group said in a statement.
The group called on the province to implement the Old Growth Review Panel’s recommendations in full.
The B.C. government has so far negotiated to protect 1.7 million hectares of the ancient forests, according to its most recent update.
Save Old Growth pointed to the forests being key carbon sinks that are needed to avoid an “ecological breakdown” that would affect millions of Canadians.
“This is not a big demand, we’ve only got 2.7 per cent of the productive old-growth left,” said Save Old Growth spokesperson Julia Torgerson.
READ: Save Old Growth says supporters will block Greater Victoria traffic to start Easter weekend
READ: B.C. old-growth logging deferrals exceed Great Bear Rainforest
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