Coastal Restoration Fund: Projects in British Columbia
Tom Berry gravel pit: Restoration and recovery for Fraser River chinook and Pacific salmon off-channel habitat
Recipient: Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition
Project goal: The aim of this project is to restore the 14.5 hectare Tom Berry gravel pit, a large intact off-channel habitat immediately adjacent to the Fraser River. This will return its function as fish habitat for juvenile chinook, coho, and sockeye salmon and restore its capacity to support a floodplain ecosystem in form and function.
Time frame: 4 years
Fund allocation: $776,524
Partners:
- Sto:lo First Nation
- Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
- Fraser Valley Regional District
- Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition
Media announcement:
Cowichan/Koksilah watershed to sea - Protecting and restoring Canada's wild river heritage as an integral link to the Salish Sea
Recipient: Cowichan Tribes
Project goal: The aim of this project is to
- mitigate stress on river environments linked to estuary changes
- improve connectivity and natural processes in the Cowichan/Koksilah estuary, a critical rearing habitat for salmonids, invertebrates, birds and other fish species
Restoration work will improve key habitats that have the potential to support chinook productivity thus extending benefit to southern resident killer whales, First Nations' fisheries, the Georgia Strait ecosystem and the Cowichan/Koksilah coastal watersheds.
Time frame: 5 years
Fund allocation: $2,677,742
Partners:
- BC Conservation Foundation
- Cowichan Estuary Restoration and Conservation Association
- Cowichan Community Land Trust
- Cowichan Valley Naturalists
- Cowichan Valley Regional District
- Cowichan Watershed Board
- Ducks Unlimited Canada
- Integrated Flood Management Plan partners
- Pacific Industrial Marine
- Precision Identification
- Pacific Salmon Foundation
- SeaChange
- Simon Fraser University
- The Nature Trust of BC West Coast Conservation Land Management Program
- University of Victoria
- Western Forest Products
- Western Stevedoring
- Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation
- RBC Blue Water
- Cowichan Valley Regional District
- Mountain Equipment Coop
- Pacific Salmon Foundation
- Sidney Anglers Association
- British Columbia Conservation Foundation Living Rivers
- Canada Student Works
- Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
- Ministry of Environment (BC Parks)
- Ducks Unlimited Canada
Cowichan estuary survey crew collecting baseline information at the planned breach site for fish presence and utilization.
Map of planned breach to improve connectivity between Koksilah and Cowichan River estuaries.
Media announcement:
Minister Wilkinson meets with Cowichan Tribes to discuss habitat improvements
Restoring estuary connectivity on the delta of the Fraser River estuary
Recipient: Raincoast Conservation Foundation
Project goal: The aim of this project is to improve habitat connectivity and natural processes on the banks of the Fraser estuary. This will be achieved by addressing historically constructed flow control structures that present physical barriers to estuarine processes and limit juvenile fish migration.
These activities will directly benefit juvenile chinook and other Pacific salmon species, as well as many other species which rely on the estuary. Better access throughout the Fraser estuary will potentially improve early marine survival for Pacific salmon.
Time frame: 5 years
Fund allocation: $2,658,217
Partners:
- Ducks Unlimited
Media announcement:
Restoration of estuary and intertidal areas within Barkley Sound and Kyuquot Sound/Checleset Bay on the West Coast of Vancouver Island
Recipient: Maa-nulth Treaty Society
Project goal: The aim of this project is to restore priority estuaries to improve productivity of chinook and chum salmon populations in the Barkley Sound, Kyuquot Sound / Checleset Bay on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Activities will work to mitigate stressors from forest harvesting and road building activities.
Time frame: 5 years
Fund allocation: $1,350,000
Partners:
- Huu-ay-aht First Nations
- Ka:'yu:'k't'h'/Che:k'tles7et'h' First Nations
- Uchuklesaht Tribe
- Toquaht Nation
- Yuułuʔiłʔath
Two construction vehicles breaching the Sarita River causeway to improve estuarine connectivity in Sarita River estuary.
The breach in the Sarita River causeway.
Media announcement:
Surf Inlet Watershed and Dam Salmon Restoration Feasibility Project
Recipient: Gitga'at First Nation
Project goal: The aim of this project is to
- complete a feasibility study to understand the background of the dam and salmon resources
- recommend the best approach to implementing restoration of habitat and improve fish passage impeded by the Surf Inlet dam
The Cougar Lake - Surf Inlet Dam was named as one of the top 12 dams to be decommissioned or modified to restore rivers and access for fish in British Columbia by the River Recovery Initiative in 2001.
Time frame: 1 year
Fund allocation: $100,000
Partners: N/A
Media Announcement:
Lower Skeena and estuary sockeye, chum and chinook habitat reconnaissance, restoration and rehabilitation
Recipient: North Coast Skeena First Nations Stewardship Society
Project goal: The aim of this project is to identify, prioritize, design and implement several sockeye, chum or chinook salmon habitat restoration projects. These projects will be designed to
- mitigate the impacts of human activities
- restore or improve lost or degraded habitat
- increase habitat capacity to support the salmon life cycle
Increased productivity resulting from restored salmonid habitat will provide benefits to the coastal environment in the form of increased prey availability for predators of all salmon life-stages.
Time frame: 5 years
Fund allocation: $875,000
Partners:
- Tsimshian Environmental Stewardship Authority
- Pacific Salmon Foundation
Media announcement:
Salish Sea nearshore habitat recovery project
Recipient: SeaChange Marine Conservation Society
Project goal: The goal of this project is to recover ecosystem health and increase resilience of nearshore intertidal and subtidal habitats for all species of salmon and the fish upon which they rely.
The focus will be native eelgrass and riparian habitats in estuaries and bays where salmon are most affected by anthropogenic activities, such as
- nearshore development
- non-point pollution
- climate change
Species of special concern are chinook, coho, and steelhead, which have experienced a tenfold decline in survival during the marine phase of their lifecycle in nearshore marine habitats.
Time frame: 5 years
Fund allocation: $1,309,333
Partners:
- Gulf Islands (community members and Regional Technical committee members)
- Burrard Inlet (community members and Regional Technical committee members)
- Sechelt (community members and Regional Technical committee members)
- Howe Sound (community members and Regional Technical committee members)
Media announcement:
Squamish estuary salmon habitat recovery project
Recipient: Squamish River Watershed Society
Project goal: The aim of this project is to improve estuarine processes and access for juvenile chinook and other Pacific salmon species to the Squamish River estuary. Improvements to existing passage structures will be constructed at several locations on the estuary floodplain. The project will also examine and potentially implement a re-alignment of the existing training dyke.
Time frame: 5 years
Fund allocation: $1,626,973
Partners:
- Squamish First Nation
- Habitat Conservation Trust Fund
- BC Hydro Fish Wildlife Compensation Program
- Squamish Terminals Ltd.
- Ministry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations
- District of Squamish
- Pacific Salmon Foundation
- Pacific Salmon Commission
Media announcement:
Salish Sea North - East Coast Vancouver Island salmon highway (nearshore habitat) mapping and restoration
Recipient: Comox Valley Project Watershed Society
Project goal: The goal of this project is to increase habitat connectivity for salmonid species along 86 km of eastern Vancouver Island shoreline. It is estimated that this will result in key habitat restoration over approximately 4,500m2 which will increase habitat connectivity for juvenile salmonids in Area 14 from Oyster River estuary to Nile Creek estuary.
Time frame: 5 years
Fund allocation: $689,000
Partners:
- K'omoks First Nations
- Nile Creek Enhancement Society
- Hornby Island Diving
- Simon Fraser University
Construction of a salt marsh bench at Royston Wrecks, Royston BC. The site will be planted in year 2.
Bill Heath, Project Watershed, conducting a benthic survey to collect baseline information prior to the project.
Media announcement:
Orca sustenance: Thompson River chinook project 2017-2020
Recipient: British Columbia Conservation Foundation
Project goal: The project objective is to improve habitat for critical life stages of Southern and Northern Thompson chinook salmon which have been identified as an important food source for coastal resident killer whale populations. Habitat restoration projects will be implemented at 9 key locations on the Thompson River to improve migratory corridors and spawning and rearing habitat for chinook salmon. It is estimated this will result in approximately 18,035 m2 of restored habitat.
Time frame: 3 years
Fund allocation: $1,733,746
Partners:
- First Nations: Secwepempc Fisheries Commission
- Simpcw (North Thompson Indian Band)
- Lower Nicola Indian Band
- Douglas Lake Ranch
- Wallis Environmental Aquatics
- Land Owner – Jenny Garthwaite
- Shawnessy Enterprises Ltd.
- Land Owner – Rey Creek Ranch
Media announcement:
Pacific salmon explorer
Recipient: Pacific Salmon Foundation
Project goal: This project will compile the information needed to assess the status of salmon populations and evaluate pressures on their spawning, rearing, and migratory habitats, helping to inform future restoration projects.
Time frame: 3 years
Fund allocation: $1,200,000
Partners:
- Gitxaala Nation
- HaislaKitasoo/Xais'Xai Nation
- Heiltsuk Nation
- Nuxalk Nation
- Wuikinuxv Nation
- Great Bear Initiative Society
- Habitat Stewardship Program, Government of Canada
- Willow Grove Foundation
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Map of the regions the Pacific Salmon Explorer will include.
An example of the information that will be available to view on the Pacific Salmon Explorer.
Media Announcement:
New funding supports technical innovation to restore salmon-bearing watersheds in British Columbia
Estuary Restoration in the Fraser River Delta and Connected Wetlands
Recipient: Ducks Unlimited Canada
Project goal: This project will benefit aquatic ecosystems in several ways. By re-connecting previously alienated habitat through dike breaches and improvements to water control structures, the amount of accessible brackish marsh habitat currently available for fish and other aquatic organisms will increase. Natural physical processes such as circulation, salinity gradients, and nutrient and estuary sedimentation processes will be restored, ensuring that these habitats are more resilient and robust to sea level rise. Removing invasive plants and restoring native vegetation will improve the overall habitat quality of estuaries and salt marshes by supporting the food-web for aquatic species. Through increased fish access and food-web benefits, the project will support efforts to recover northeast Pacific southern resident killer whale population, for which Chinook and Chum salmon are key prey species.
Time frame: 4 years
Fund allocation: $2,039,912
Partners:
- Province of British Columbia –Spartina Funding
Fyke net sampling in tidal channels in the Fraser River south arm marshes. (M. Manson photo)
Existing training jetty limiting juvenile salmon movement in the Fraser River South arm. (M. Manson photo)
Media Announcement:
San Juan and Gordon River – Estuary and Coastal Area Restoration
Recipient: Pacheedaht First Nation
Project goal: The San Juan and Gordon River Estuary and Coastal Area Restoration project has three main components for improving critical estuarine habitats through re-connection of prioritized tidal channels, and the restoration of estuarine vegetation and forage fish habitat. These critical habitat improvements will effectively stabilize and enhance estuarine function improving early marine rearing for chinook, chum, coho and pink salmon. By restoring ecological function of the estuary, the food chain linkages of increased forage fish (i.e. sand lance) availability to chinook will further enhance the accessibility of Chinook salmon to the Southern Resident Killer Whales in their adjacent coastal foraging habitat.
Time frame: 4 years
Fund allocation: $1,670,000
Partners:
- BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change
- TimberWest
- Fishing Derby
- BC Timber Sales
Media Announcement:
Government of Canada works with Pacheedaht First Nation to restore wild salmon habitat
Musqueam Fisheries Habitat Restoration 2020
Recipient: Musqueam Indian Band
Project goal: Musqueam Indian Band aims to build its capacity to be key partners and leaders in aquatic and foreshore fisheries habitat restoration within the Musqueam territory of the Lower Fraser River and parts of the Salish Sea.
The aim of this project is to:
- improve habitat conditions for Chinook salmon and other key marine species at two sites on the Fraser River estuary and Salish Sea within Musqueam territory
- build capacity and expertise at Musqueam in project management and implementation of projects related to fisheries habitat restoration, planning, and collaborative decision-making
Time frame: 4 years
Fund allocation: $1,200,000
Partners: N/A
Media Announcement: N/A
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