After 11 years of bringing you local reporting, the team behind the Vancouver Observer has moved on to Canada's National Observer. You can follow Vancouver culture reporting over there from now on. Thank you for all your support over the years!

Alexis Stoymenoff

Alexis Stoymenoff covered environmental policy and sustainability issues for the Vancouver Observer from 2011-2012. Prior to VO, she worked in print, online news, radio and television. She has also traveled to India and Thailand for documentary projects. Alexis is a graduate of UBC School of Journalism, and she's also a former treeplanter with a passion for all things wild and green. In June 2012, she left VO to work in communications for a local environmental group.

Follow her on Twitter: @LexStoymenoff

Gregor Robertson’s Greenest City takes on the oil industry

Can Harper-backed Big Oil penetrate Mayor Gregor Robertson’s renowned “Greenest City”?

First Nations resist Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline with cross-Canada Freedom Train

The Yinka Dene Alliance departs on Monday for a nationwide journey on the Freedom Train, to storm Enbridge's AGM in opposition to the Northern Gateway pipeline.

Senator Cowan demands accountability from Tory educational and charitable organizations

With enviro groups under fire, Senator James Cowan says the National Finance Committee must also look into corporate lobbies and think-tanks like The Fraser Institute.

“Charitable” Fraser Institute accepted $500k in foreign funding from Koch oil billionaires

In just four years, U.S. Tea Party architects the Koch brothers poured half a million dollars into Canadian right-wing think tank, the Fraser Institute.

Canadians don't know if Prime Minister Harper's beholden to foreign organizations: Hon. James S. Cowan

On April 5, Hon. James S. Cowan responded in the Senate debate to Tory senators' hyperbolic attack on environmental groups and brought up the issue of the Koch brothers' contribution to the...

"Why polar bears and not elephants?" and more from Canada's hyperbolic Tory senators

With Senate debates set to continue this week investigating foreign funding of charities, here’s a look at some of the whacky arguments made so far.

As Northern Gateway pipeline hearings return to Smithers, community rallies for tar sands protest

A new set of Northern Gateway Joint Review Panel hearings in Smithers, BC brought out hundreds of community members on Monday for a rally.

Park Board motion aims to protect Vancouver beaches from oil spill threat

Park Board commissioner Niki Sharma says the proposed expansion of Kinder Morgan’s oil sands pipeline—combined with the closing of spill response centres—would set the city up for disaster.

Earth Day in Vancouver: parade, politics and pipeline opposition

A parade and rally on East Vancouver's Commercial Drive brought thousands of supporters together to celebrate Earth Day 2012, and to voice their opposition to pipelines and tankers on their coast.

Exxon Valdez lawyer recounts ongoing horrors of oil spill

An attorney from Valdez tells of heartbreak and devastation resulting from one of the world's most notorious oil spills.