Our Water, Our Future

The Healthy Watersheds Initiative is creating jobs and bringing communities together to protect fresh water, restore salmon habitat, and adapt to climate change. 
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Recent Stories

We Are of Water

"We Are of Water", illustrated by Chenoa Gao, provides visuals connected to voices and knowledge shared by Indigenous Elders, youth, and community members through HWI projects on the significance of watersheds and water.
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Unpaving Kus-Kus-Sum: Restoring and Recycling

The Kus-Kus-Sum Unpaving Paradise project is decommissioning and restoring a historic sawmill site along the Courtney River.
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Symposium & Celebration Dinner

On February 23, 2023, project team members, First Nations leaders, provincial and local government representatives, and community members came together to celebrate the outcomes and learnings from the HWI.
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$100 million invested in Watershed Security Fund to be co-developed with First Nations

The BC Government and BC First Nations Water Table has announced an investment of $100 million towards creating a Watershed Security Fund and a commitment to co-developing the Fund with First Nations.
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We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.

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60+
projects
700+
jobs
$27M
investment
270+
community partners
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Supported Projects

Okanagan Lake. (Photo: Adarshana Thapa / REFBC)
Collaborative Source Water Protection in the Okanagan
Lead Organization
Okanagan Basin Water Board
Grant Amount
$ 100,000.00
View Details
Project Details
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Okanagan Lake. (Photo: Adarshana Thapa / REFBC)
Description

Okanagan Basin Water Board is collaborating with Indigenous, municipal, and provincial governments to develop and pilot a source water protection toolkit in the Okanagan. They are also working with En’owkin Centre ECOmmunity Department (Penticton Indian Band) to restore a portion of the k’əmcnitkw floodplain. This project, which supports 14 jobs, is part of a long-term strategy to equip communities with the tools to protect their drinking water by engaging them in restoration work and building awareness of water conservation. (Photo: Adarshana Thapa / REFBC)

Lead Organization
Okanagan Basin Water Board
Grant Amount
$ 100,000.00
Project Type
Organization Type
Region(s)View map of BC's Natural Resource District.

View map of BC's Natural Resource District.

Watershed(s)
Related Articles
Comox Valley Project Watershed Society’s “Kus-kus-sum” project (Photo: Rick Ward)
Kus Kus Sum Unpaving Paradise - Estuary Restoration
Lead Organization
Comox Valley Project Watershed Society
Grant Amount
$ 700,000.00
View Details
Project Details
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Comox Valley Project Watershed Society’s “Kus-kus-sum” project (Photo: Rick Ward)
Description

Comox Valley Project Watershed Society, in partnership with K'omoks First Nation and the City of Courtenay, is dismantling and restoring Kus-kus-sum, a former sawmill site on the Courtenay River, to its native estuary saltmarsh and riverside forest. Restoration of this site will benefit at least nine fish species, 145 bird species, and 281 plant species. The first phase of this project will support at least 40 jobs. (Photo: Rick Ward)

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Kyle Prince and Cara Adrain at the Columbia Wetlands. (Photo: Living Lakes Canada)
Community-Based Water Monitoring and Restoration in the Columbia Basin, Columbia Basin Water Hub
Lead Organization
Living Lakes Canada
Grant Amount
$ 1,250,000.00
View Details
Project Details
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Kyle Prince and Cara Adrain at the Columbia Wetlands. (Photo: Living Lakes Canada)
Description

The purpose of this project is to ensure that Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and decision-makers in the Upper Canadian Columbia Basin will have the necessary knowledge, skills and tools to adapt and mitigate climate change impacts by better understanding water resources in their respective communities. The understanding of diminished water supply, drought and flood events assist decisions impacting community and ecosystem resilience as well as for the food security, ecosystem health and economic vitality of these communities. This project will help transition towards a green economy by training indigenous and non indigenous youth, and people displaced or transitioning from other impacted sectors. See the Project Map for locations and details of the work supported by this project. This project will support 25 jobs and training. (Photo: Living Lakes Canada)

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(Photo: Picture BC / Flickr)
148 Mile Marshes Rebuild Project
Lead Organization
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Grant Amount
$ 215,700.00
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Project Details
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(Photo: Picture BC / Flickr)
Description

Ducks Unlimited is collaborating with ranch owners and First Nations to rebuild interconnected wetland habitats at 148 Mile Marshes. This project will update aging water control infrastructure and will support 13 jobs. (Photo: Picture BC / Flickr)

Lead Organization
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Grant Amount
$ 215,700.00
Project Type
Organization Type
Region(s)View map of BC's Natural Resource District.

View map of BC's Natural Resource District.

Watershed(s)
Related Articles
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