By shifting from raw log exportation to value-added industries we could employ up to 32 times as many people per cubic metre of timber, allowing reduced harvest, expanded economic benefit and greater employment.

The first transportation project the provincial government announced since the Capital Regional District passed its new transportation strategy is bus lanes and new transit stops on a future Rapid Bus route. This is good news. The CRD’s new strategy calls for improving public transit and active transportation rather than increasing highway capacity for cars.

Councillors voted unanimously in response to ­letters from ­Greater Victoria Acting Together, a coalition working on climate action, affordable housing and mental health, and the Action Committee of People with Disabilities. Capital Bike also supports the change.

Eric Doherty, a registered professional planner and a co-lead of a group called Greater Victoria Acting Together Climate Justice Action Research Team, is an advocate of the project. "To me, it's a no brainer as far as climate action to make it so more people — a broader section of the public — can use the cycling facilities that we are already building," Doherty said to host Robyn Burns on CBC's All Points West.

Op-ed by GVAT Climate Justice Team co-leads - CRD must push province to fund rapid bus instead of expanding highways

As faith leaders, we have a reverence for nature and an obligation to respond to the climate emergency. We are highly concerned about new research issued by the Wilderness Committee showing that the BC government allowed a 43 per cent increase in the cutting of old-growth trees over the past year.