The Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) joins British Columbians and Canadians in mourning the loss of John Horgan, the former premier of British Columbia. Horgan served as the province’s 36th premier from 2017 to 2022 and was a resolute champion for Pacific salmon and the environment in B.C.
Born and raised in Victoria, Horgan had an affinity toward protecting salmon that he made a priority of the provincial government as an elected official. Horgan loved being on the water, fishing for salmon, and talking about his experiences with salmon and the inspiration he drew from them.
“In B.C., wild salmon are part of who we are. Coastal communities, First Nations, ecosystems, and local economies depend on healthy wild salmon stocks,” said Horgan in 2021 on Wild Salmon Day.
The Province of B.C. initially proclaimed Wild Salmon Day in 2019 under Horgan’s leadership, which is now celebrated annually.
John Horgan and Michael Meneer at the inaugural B.C. Wild Salmon Day event hosted at the Legislature in 2019.
Also under his leadership, Horgan helped champion the B.C. Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund and the creation of the provincial Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship. Additionally, Horgan’s government made an unprecedented $5-million investment through PSF to advance community-led conservation and habitat restoration projects to help restore salmon. This initial investment set the stage for the province to further invest in wild salmon in 2023 with $17 million granted to PSF and the First Nations Fisheries Council of B.C.
“Horgan set in motion critical funding, government structure, and strategic planning within the provincial government to advance recovery for wild Pacific salmon. His personal connection to Pacific salmon contributed to them becoming a priority for the province in a way we had not seen in a long time,” says Michael Meneer, PSF’s president and CEO.
“The Pacific Salmon Foundation is grateful that we had the opportunity to honour John Horgan’s leadership at our 2023 Victoria Gala shortly after he stepped down as premier. We cherish that and many other memories that we had with him, and give thanks to the lasting impact his leadership will have on the conservation of salmon for future generations.”
In 2023, PSF honoured Horgan with the Patron Award at the South Vancouver Island Gala, celebrating his commitment to and significant impact on wild Pacific salmon.
John Horgan with Brian Riddell and Michael Meneer at PSF’s 2023 South Vancouver Island Dinner & Auction.
PSF extends our sympathies to former Premier Horgan’s family, friends, and colleagues, and hope that his commitment to salmon will set an example that other political leaders in Canada will follow.
