Two recent legal victories for young Canadian climate activists highlight the growing momentum in the fight for climate justice. A landmark Federal Court case will proceed to trial in 2026, while a separate Ontario Court of Appeal ruling overturned a prior dismissal, bringing hope for systemic change.
Pushing back against rising political apathy around our environment’s future, youth climate activists in Canada are making history with two significant legal victories that are reshaping the fight for climate justice. On Dec.
18, a group of 15 young Canadians from seven provinces and a territory, who argue the federal government's inaction on climate change is putting their future well-being at risk, received the green light from the Federal Court of Canada to take their climate case — La Rose et al. vs. His Majesty the King — to trial in October 2026. In 2020, Federal Court Judge Michael Manson dismissed the youth climate lawsuit, arguing the government's broad role in climate change action was beyond the scope of judicial review. Manson said it failed to present a valid cause of action and had 'no reasonable prospect of success.' The plaintiffs appealed arguing Canada’s government must be held accountable for its climate policies, and the Federal Court of Appeal ruled in favour of proceeding with the case in December 2023. The Federal Court has now finally allocated eight weeks for the trial starting October next year in Vancouver. “I am happy we finally have a trial date, but I'm disappointed that after five years in the system it's going to be another year of waiting,” one of the plaintiffs and Vancouver resident Zoe said in a statement released by Oregon-based law firm Our Children’s Trust. “The federal government is not acting with the urgency the climate emergency deserves. At least we have an open trial so Canadians can see how much effort their government is taking to avoid protecting their rights to a stable climate.” This victory came just two months after another significant development for climate justice. On Oct. 17, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled in favour of seven youth activists, overturning a lower court’s dismissal of their cas
CLIMATE CHANGE CANADA LEGAL VICTORIES YOUTH ACTIVISTS CLIMATE JUSTICE
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