Spuzzum First Nation

Eight months after he made the commitment, federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault recommended an emergency order to protect the northern spotted owl's habitat. Now, a First Nation and environmental groups are taking him to court over the delay.

A federal government decision to reverse course on issuing an emergency order for the northern spotted owl has angered the British Columbia First Nation that asked for the protection of the endangered species.

Indigenous leaders and experts in British Columbia outlined their concerns on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, over the provincial government's process to defer logging in old-growth forests, while underscoring the urgency to preserve at-risk ecosystems.