The CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce says a lawsuit against fossil fuel producers will take a long time, cost a lot of money, and possibly result in no changes.
Catherine Holt says it's easy to shift the blame, but in reality, changes have to happen locally.
Holt's comments come following city council letters to fossil fuel producers -- essentially endorsing a class action lawsuit.
And while that move upset many people who work in oil and gas industries in Alberta, it also upset some locals.
"We target them because they're the fossil fuel producers, we're the fossil fuel users. That's a symbiotic relationship. If we want the fossil fuel producers to change, then the fossil fuel users have to change. We're all part of the same picture."
She adds the move by council essentially calls the fossil fuel producers bad guys, while they take a position as the good guys. Holt says a divide won't benefit anyone, adding they should work together to make actual differences.
"If we continue to label people - it's going to lead nowhere. It's just going to lead to people being in their trenchers, in rigid positions, pointing fingers at each other, and a catastrophic outcome for all of us. Focus on innovation and some incentives for companies to change their behaviour. Take that time, money, and hot air, and use it to incentivize businesses to change what their doing, and help them to make the transition."