Backgrounder: Government of Canada and Province of British Columbia announce investments in wild salmon conservation, habitat restoration and research science projects throughout British Columbia

British Columbia projects that are receiving funding through the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund include:

• The National Indigenous Fisheries Institute will engage with Indigenous communities to identify potential large-scale, multi-Nation initiatives that could be supported by BCSRIF. This work will also encourage increased Indigenous involvement in science partnerships, innovation and infrastructure investments that would improve productivity, sustainability, and safety across the sector. The National Indigenous Fisheries Institute will receive up to $385K in funding.
• Led by the British Columbia Conservation Foundation, the “Innovative Habitat Restoration Demonstration” is a multi-year, watershed-scale demonstration project to showcase innovative habitat restoration methods that accommodate the effects of recent ecosystem shifts with benefits to Chinook, coho, sockeye and steelhead. The project will promote restoration, protection and maintenance of healthy and diverse salmon populations and their habitats. The ‘Innovative Habitat Restoration Demonstration’ will receive nearly $5M (approximately $792K in year 1) in funding.
• The Baker Creek Enhancement Society will collaborate with the Nazko First Nation to undertake restoration of critical habitat affected by the Plateau Fire. This work will also prevent further habitat degradation from normal precipitation and predictable storm events. The Baker Creek Enhancement Society in collaboration with the Nazko First Nation will receive up to $750K (approximately $150K in year 1) in funding.
• The Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (UVic) will conduct research to improve our understanding of potential threats to Pacific salmonids and their habitats posed by climate change and develop risk assessment tools to support adaptive regional management approaches. The Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (UVic)  will receive  close to $1M (approximately $113K in year 1) in funding.
• BCSRIF will support elements of the Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia (SFI) Vision 2021. This is an action plan to maximize the social and economic potential of the recreational fishery on Canada’s Pacific coast. The project aims to improve representation of the fishing community and increase participation in the fishing sector by youth, new Canadians and others. SFI will receive up to $701K (approximately $149K in year 1) in funding.
• The Scw'exmx Tribal Council and partners will assess and rehabilitate degraded habitats in the Coldwater River and Guichon Creek watersheds to improve survival of Thompson steelhead and Chinook salmon. The Scw'exmx Tribal Council and partners will receive close to $1.3M (approximately $126K in year 1) in funding.
• The Secwepemcul’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society, in partnership with Secwepemc communities and the 100 Mile Natural Resource District will undertake restoration of critical habitat affected by the 2017 Elephant Hill Wildfire in the Traditional territories of the 8 Secwepemcul’ecw Nations. The Secwepemcul’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society, Secwepemc communities and the 100 Mile Natural Resource District will receive nearly $2.6M (approximately $430K in year 1) in funding.
• Tides Canada and the Watershed Watch Society along with other partners, will implement “Connected Waters”, a project to identify priority sites requiring infrastructure upgrades and habitat restoration across the Lower Fraser River watershed, which will support the reintegration of vital wild salmon habitats. Tides Canada and the Watershed Watch Society will receive nearly $600k (approximately $232K in year 1) in funding.
• The Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) will conduct a science-based review of hatcheries in the Pacific Region (including community hatcheries and DFO major facilities) to evaluate performance and the effectiveness of current genetic and genomic tools, in order to optimize salmon production in BC. PSF will receive nearly $1.1M (approximately $305K in year 1) in funding.
• The Canadian Wildlife Federation will bring together partners, including federal and provincial governments, non-governmental organizations, First Nations and communities to prioritize fish passage remediation efforts across BC to maximize the benefits for steelhead trout and Pacific salmon. The Canadian Wildlife Federation will receive close to $4M (approximately $1.2M in year 1) in funding.
• The British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association will deliver the Farmland Riparian Interface Stewardship Program, promoting habitat restoration and stewardship on agricultural lands in BC. The program will encourage environmental farm planning within the agricultural sector for more “fish friendly” land management practices around riparian corridors, as well as promoting water conservation for BC Interior salmon streams experiencing frequent critical low flows. The British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association will receive up to $550K (approximately $110K in year 1) in funding.
• The ‘Namgis, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, and Mamalilikulla First Nations will partner on activities to assess, prioritize and restore critical salmon habitat in the Nimpkish and Kokish Rivers, Rivers flowing from Bond Sound, Thompson Sound, Wakemen Sound, Viner Sound and Rivers Near Hoyea Sound and Lull Creek. The ‘Namgis, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, and Mamalilikulla First Nations will receive more than $4.2M (approximately $479K in year 1) in funding.
• The ‘Namgis, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, and Mamalilikulla First Nations will work together on the first steps towards establishing a genomics lab to analyze samples collected by First Nations with an interest in conducting independent fish health sampling. The ‘Namgis, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, and Mamalilikulla First Nations will receive approximately $50K in funding.
• The ‘Namgis, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, and Mamalilikulla First Nations will implement the Broughton First Nations Indigenous Monitoring and Inspection Plan, using BCSRIF support to build monitoring and oversight capacity over finfish farms in the Broughton, capacity to monitor wild salmon, other marine species (and their ecosystems) and to conduct salmon habitat restoration activities. The ‘Namgis, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, and Mamalilikulla First Nations will receive close to $7.3M (approximately $1.7M in year 1) in funding.