Oak Bay residents find fliers on vehicles accusing them of contributing to climate crisis

Oak Bay and Fairfield-Gonzales neighbourhood residents woke up to fliers on their vehicles on Sunday morning accusing them of not doing enough to combat the climate crisis.

According to a user on Facebook, Chantal Branson, the handbill states point-blank that the person who owns the vehicle is “the problem” because the vehicle burns a lot of fuel.

“My neighbour texted me to ask me if I had a note left on my windshield – her young son found, and read the one left on their car,” Branson tells Victoria Buzz.

The flier states that the vehicle owner is guilty of inciting hatred against future generations by driving said vehicle.

“When you see your kids, nieces, nephews, grandchildren; the people to who you are passing the world onto. I suggest you tell them to their face that you hate them,” reads the flier.

In response to the flier, Branson defends her family’s efforts to reduce their carbon footprint by walking as often as possible and switching to a plant-based diet.

“I’m all for changing our lifestyle to be more sustainable, but I found this note very offensive and off putting and not the right way to go about creating the change they’re hoping for,” said Branson.

She says that in addition to the off-putting delivery of the message, its apparent objective to get people to switch to more energy-efficient vehicles is not an option for her family.

“For me, as a single parent, I don’t have the means to upgrade our family vehicle to an electric or hybrid, especially not one that can transport the number of people we do, as we often carpool and transport children on field trips and to sporting events.”

Several other residents in Oak Bay and the Fairfield-Gonzales neighbourhood have also reported receiving similar fliers on their vehicles, some of which were hybrids.

It is not clear at this time who is responsible for printing and propagating the handbills.