Media | Teale Phelps Bondaroff

News

Little Free Libraries

AccessBC Campaign

Podcast + Webinars

Saanich

OceansAsia

Research with the

BC Humanists

Science Magazine, May 28, 2025

Almost Five Million Seized Seahorses Reveal Just the “Tip of the Iceberg” in Global Wildlife Trafficking

In an unprecedented scope, authorities have intercepted close to five million smuggled seahorses over the past decade, a figure that underscores an alarming scale of illegal wildlife trade far exceeding prior estimations. Valued at approximately CAD$29 million, these seizures reveal not only the magnitude of illicit marine trafficking but also the complex global network that facilitates the movement of such species, often hidden in plain sight within passenger luggage or sea cargo.

Victoria News, March 26, 2025

Victoria-based reproductive rights advocates awarded coronation medals

The founders of a campaign that aims to fight for free prescription contraception and reproductive justice has been awarded with King Charles III Coronation medals for their advocacy work around B.C.

Victoria News, July 4, 2024

Prayer now purged from B.C. council chambers, watchdog declares

The BC Humanist Association (BCHA) is declaring 'the end of municipal prayers in British Columbia' following a commitment from the City of Parksville that there will not be prayers in the city's next inaugural council meeting.

The decision avoided a lawsuit against the city by the BCHA, who dropped the threat of legal action over prayers provided at inaugural meetings in 2018 and 2022.

Phelps Bondaroff and Black with Jack Layton Progress Prize at Progress Summit - Credit Acc

Saanich News, April 16, 2024

Saanich councillor wins award in Ottawa for free contraception campaign

A group founded by a Saanich councillor and a local sexual health advocate is being recognized at the national level for the work done by the organization to bring free prescription contraception to B.C. Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff and AccessBC co-founder Devon Black were jointly awarded the Jack Layton Progress Prize at the Broadbent Institute’s summit in Ottawa held last week between April 10 and 12 for the organization’s successful campaign.

CHEK News, March 20, 2024

Saanich to change parking requirements for new housing developments

On Monday, in an almost unanimous vote, councillors voted to lower the parking minimums for all forms of new builds and convert those minimums into maximums for certain-sized projects. “Reducing the need to build parking also reduces building expenses,” said Coun. Teale Phelps Bandaroff.

Bandaroff and Coun. Zac de Vries brought forward a policy framework for parking requirements.

Outside Magazine, January 23, 2024

Sea Shepherd’s Sea Change

The researcher Teale Phelps Bondaroff, who was on board the Bob with me, explained over tea in the galley one day that the legal-shaming approach used against IUU fishing evolved from the moral-shaming approach that fueled anti-whaling campaigns. Countries don’t want to appear unable to enforce the law in their own waters. Still, he added, critics often say that Sea Shepherd’s crews, as nonstate actors, “can’t legally do what they’re doing. But it doesn’t matter, they’re doing it.”

web1_230925-sne-local-hero-healthcareadvocate-devonblack_1.jpg

Saanich News, November 2, 2023

How a free contraception campaign turned into a national movement

Black, a lawyer who has worked and volunteered at various sexual health organizations, co-founded the AccessBC Campaign for free prescription contraception with Saanich Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff in 2017 and has led the campaign in her spare time while also practising law. The campaign grew to have more than 80 volunteers and was endorsed by 36 B.C. municipalities. In April 2023, the provincial government responded, launching free prescription contraception in the province.

web1_210106-sne-leafblowernoisepollution-bondaroffleafblower_1.jpg

Saanich News, October 28, 2023

Stepping up to make a difference

Every so often we encounter a person who just makes the world a better place. Saanich Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff is one of those people.He is someone who has made his presence felt in such a wide spectrum of activities and causes that it seems impossible that he is only 37 years of age.

Saanich News, August 20, 2023

Volunteers expand road mural on Saanich’s Falaise Crescent

Representatives from the Falaise Community Association and the Greater Victoria Placemaking Network and the public came out to add purple camas flowers to the mural.

“The mural is fantastic,” said Teale Phelps Bondaroff, project co-initiator and network volunteer. “It’s bright and vibrant. It’s great for community building and road safety. Road murals have been found by some research to show that cars slow down.”

The Moose Hide Campaign,

March 25, 2023

Changing the world, one pin at a time

You can find [Teale] bicycling around the Victoria, BC region, distributing books and important information to the little free libraries. One of the items he regularly tucks away in the homemade boxes? The moose hide pin. “The moose hide pin just seemed like a perfect fit,” he said. “The campaign was born here in Victoria. The pins are the heart of the campaign, and these little libraries are a great way to connect people to the campaign who wouldn’t be exposed to it otherwise.”

The Guardian, September 7, 2021

Licence to krill: the destructive demand for a ‘better’ fish oil

“It’s pretty worrisome when you’ve got fisheries exploring these ‘unexploited’ areas or discovering large stocks of fish,” says Teale Phelps Bondaroff, director of research at OceansAsia. “This really should raise eyebrows because what’s really driving that expansion? Krill oil is obviously one factor.”

2025