$195K to power local salmon restoration efforts
Jan. 22, 2026
PSF grants $194,989 to 42 community-led salmon conservation projects across B.C. and Yukon
The Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) has released $194,989 in grant funding to support 42 community-led salmon restoration, enhancement, education, and stewardship projects in B.C. and the Yukon. Delivered through PSF’s Community Salmon Program, these projects are expected to generate approximately $1.3 million in total value for salmon conservation through partnerships, in-kind support, and volunteer contributions.
The program supports First Nations, streamkeepers, schools, and conservation groups working to restore habitat, improve monitoring and enhancement efforts, and build the next generation of salmon stewards. Each year, volunteers contribute an average of 60,000 hours to this work.
Due to limited funding, this grant cycle targeted educational programming and high-priority work addressing urgent on-the-ground needs.
Since 1994, PSF’s Community Salmon Program has stewarded funds from the Salmon Conservation Stamp on behalf of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, alongside donor and partner support. To date, PSF has directed nearly $32 million to more than 3,600 salmon conservation projects across B.C. and the Yukon. Additional funding from the Province of B.C. further enhances the impact of this program.
Recent initiatives include major habitat restoration efforts, educational and awareness programs, and major upgrades to key enhancement or monitoring facilities. As demand outpaces available funding, PSF donors directly expand the number and scale of salmon conservation projects that can be supported.
“With two-thirds of populations across British Columbia and the Yukon struggling, salmon are at a critical moment. No one is better equipped to help recover salmon and raise awareness for the iconic species than local First Nations, communities, streamkeepers, and volunteers – stewards who understand salmon ecosystems through and through,” says Michael Meneer, PSF President and CEO.
“The Salmon Conservation Stamp has been instrumental over the last three and a half decades in enabling the Pacific Salmon Foundation to support grassroots salmon initiatives. Through the Community Salmon Program, thousands of impactful projects have been made possible.”
The Community Salmon Program accepts applications twice a year. The spring cycle – currently accepting applications – will remain open until Feb. 15, 2026. Apply online here.
Learn how community groups are leveraging program funds to maximize positive impact on Pacific salmon.
Securing reliable water flows at Quatse River Hatchery
PSF has granted $45,000 to the volunteer-run Northern Vancouver Island Salmonid Enhancement Association (NVISEA) to conduct urgent upgrades at the Quatse River Hatchery, near Port Hardy. Every year, the hatchery rears up to 2.5 million coho, pink, and chum eggs and juveniles.
At the heart of this operation is the intake, which supplies water for egg incubation and juvenile rearing. The existing structure has degraded, putting young fish at risk. Frequent system failures trigger emergency alarms — often overnight — requiring volunteers to rush in for manual in-river repairs.
“Upgrading the Quatse River Hatchery intake is about protecting salmon and the people who care for them. Replacing an aging intake with a safer, modern structure helps protect both wild and hatchery juvenile salmon, ensures reliable water access, and supports the continued production of coho, pink, and chum,” says Steven Lacasse, Chairman, NVISEA.
Intercepting road runoff at Chilliwack Creek
In Chilliwack, PSF is supporting a new coho and chum habitat restoration initiative led by S.A.Y. Lands, a land management office representing the Skowkale, Aitchelitz, and Yakweakwioose First Nations.
They aim to restore a riparian buffer zone between Chilliwack Creek and a nearby road, where polluted runoff currently flows directly into the water. To counter this, nutrient-rich soil, mulch, and native trees and shrubs will be added to filter contaminants before they enter the creek, as well as improve soil health and retain moisture through the summer heat.
“These funds will support the restoration of riparian habitat for coho and chum salmon in Chilliwack Creek as part of S.A.Y.’s award-winning, Indigenous-led, comprehensive ecological restoration approach. By integrating salmon habitat enhancement with climate-informed design, this work will provide thermal refuges, high-quality spawning areas, and nutrient-rich food sources into the future,” says Ilesha Maharaj, Stewardship Coordinator, S.A.Y. Lands.
“Designed for a warming climate, the project will support salmon for generations while inspiring the next generation of salmon stewards through volunteer and school involvement.”
Reconnecting Yukon youth with salmon
Once abundant in the Yukon, salmon have declined sharply in recent years — leaving very few young people able to experience them firsthand.
Rivers to Ridges is helping young Yukoners reconnect with salmon and their watersheds through outdoor and land-based programming. With support from PSF, local educators are now working alongside Indigenous Knowledge Holders to co-develop three new salmon-focused educational resources.
“Our goal for these new booklets is to help Yukon youth understand how salmon are a crucial part of our ecosystems, lifeways and culture. Since we cannot be in every class every year, we hope to provide them as a resource for educators who want to foster feelings of care and respect for salmon and the importance of safeguarding them for future generations,” says Han Shier, who leads the Salmon in the Schools Yukon Program.
The Community Salmon Program benefits from the generous donations of corporations and foundations, with thanks to: Alta Gas, Enbridge, Mosaic Forest Management, Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Inc., and The Wolrige Foundation, Yun Wright in memory of Bob Wright. Special thanks to the many individuals who support the program. To learn more about PSF’s grant program and opportunities to support on-the-ground action to save and restore salmon, contact salmon@psf.ca.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Please contact Chloë Fraser, Pacific Salmon Foundation, cfraser@psf.ca, (604) 664-7664 ext. 1014
A full list of recipients for the fall 2025 Community Salmon Program funding cohort includes:
| Applicant | Project Title | Funding Confirmed $ | Project Value $ | Project Type | Location |
| Alouette River Management Society | Revitalizing the Education Channel: Habitat Restoration for Salmon | 2,650 | 6,200 | Habitat Rehabilitation | Maple Ridge |
| Goldstream Hatchery | Coho Rearing Tank Capacity | 14,480 | 49,480 | Stock Enhancement | Victoria |
| Loon Foundation | Supporting Salmon Through Forage Fish Stewardship in ḵalpilin | 2,320 | 15,870 | Habitat Rehabilitation | Madeira Park |
| Northern Vancouver Island Salmonid Enhancement Association | Quatse River Hatchery Intake Upgrade | 45,000 | 332,920 | Stock Assessment | Port Hardy |
| Quadra Island Salmon Enhancement Society | Powering Quadra Island’s Fish Fence | 5,000 | 43,365 | Stock Assessment | Campbell River |
| RiverSprings Hatchery | Hatchery Remediation | 8,500 | 18,000 | Stock Enhancement | Coquitlam |
| S.A.Y. Lands | Chilliwack Creek Coho & Chum Riparian Restoration | 10,000 | 147,674 | Habitat Rehabilitation | Chilliwack |
| Toboggan Creek Enhancement Society | Power to Work Shed | 4,700 | 9,528 | Stock Enhancement | Smithers |
| Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance | QRRC Chinook Rearing Enhancement Capacity | 31,200 | 65,280 | Stock Enhancement | Quesnel |
| Peninsula Streams Society | Creating Immersive & Accessible Experiences in Salmon Stewardship for Youth | 6,500 | 108,000 | Education & Awareness, Training | Victoria |
| Rivers to Ridges | Salmon in the Schools – Activity Book | 5,000 | 21,500 | Stewardship/Community Planning | Whitehorse |
| Rivershed Society of British Columbia | Fraser Watershed Salmon Education & Outreach Materials | 3,500 | 22,156 | Education & Awareness, Training | Abbotsford |
| Ucluelet Aquarium Society | The Importance of Habitat | 4,254 | 66,054 | Education & Awareness, Training | Ucluelet |
| Alouette River Management Society | Enhancing Salmon Habitat Monitoring and Surveys with Drone Technology | 433 | 1,516 | Habitat Assessment | Maple Ridge |
| Coquitlam River Watershed Society | iPad for Outreach and Stewardship Events | 1,152 | 6,200 | Stewardship/Community Planning | Coquitlam |
| Gorge Waterway Action Society | Craigflower Creek Water Quality Equipment | 1,000 | 96,100 | Habitat Assessment | Victoria |
| Stewardship Pemberton Society | Stewardship Pemberton Society Streamkeepers Program | 1,663 | 5,063 | Habitat Assessment | Pemberton |
| Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary | Marvelous Monitoring – Enhancing Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary’s water quality monitoring opportunities | 2,500 | 5,540 | Habitat Assessment | Victoria |
| Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society | Education Program Materials & Improvements | 1,350 | 6,500 | Education & Awareness, Training | Port Moody |
| Cheakamus Foundation for Environmental Learning | Salmon Stories Through Two Ways of Knowing | 2,500 | 5,000 | Education & Awareness, Training | Brackendale |
| Comox Valley Nature | Launching the Father Brandt Memorial Grant for Environmental Research | 1,493 | 3,293 | Education & Awareness, Training | Comox |
| Fresh Air Learning | Community Stream Monitoring by Middle Schoolers | 360 | 3,127 | Education & Awareness, Training | Vancouver |
| Inman Elementary School | 2026 Field Trip to Seymour Fish Hatchery | 377 | 1,394 | Education & Awareness, Training | Burnaby |
| Mayne Island Conservancy Society | Southern Gulf Islands Bull Kelp Monitoring Collaboration 25/26 | 1,725 | 82,132 | Education & Awareness, Training | Mayne Island |
| Nanaimo Science | Science in the Park – Salmon Run Days 2026 | 2,500 | 7,000 | Education & Awareness, Training | Nanaimo |
| qathet Streamkeepers Society | Building Streamkeeper Capacity in qathet | 2,271 | 8,261 | Education & Awareness, Training | Powell River |
| Salmon Coast Society | Battery Replacement for Maintaining Conservation Research, Education, and Community-Oriented Facility | 2,500 | 9,040 | Education & Awareness, Training | Echo Bay |
| Skeena Knowledge Trust | Skeena Restoration Workshops – Connecting Restoration Practitioners | 2,000 | 7,800 | Education & Awareness, Training | Smithers |
| T Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation | Salmon Smart: Community Outreach Booth Kit | 1,000 | 2040 | Education & Awareness, Training | New Westminster |
| Prince Rupert Salmonid Enhancement Society | Prince Rupert Salmon in the Classroom | 1,850 | 3,700 | Education & Awareness, Training | Prince Rupert |
| Frank J Ney Elementary | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,850 | 3,700 | Education & Awareness, Training | Nanaimo |
| Fraser Academy | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,689 | 3,749 | Education & Awareness, Training | Vancouver |
| Meadowbrook Elementary | Salmonids in the Classroom | 431 | 2,932 | Education & Awareness, Training | Coquitlam |
| Mountain View Christian Academy | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,850 | 3,700 | Education & Awareness, Training | Vancouver |
| North Vancouver School District #44 | Salmonids in the Classroom | 2,400 | 8,920 | Education & Awareness, Training | North Vancouver |
| Richmond School District | Salmonids in the Classroom | 750 | 2,600 | Education & Awareness, Training | Richmond |
| Roberts Creek Elementary | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,779 | 3,700 | Education & Awareness, Training | Roberts Creek |
| Seaview Elementary | Salmonids in the Classroom | 700 | 1,400 | Education & Awareness, Training | Lantzville |
| Shaughnessy Elementary School | Salmonids in the Classroom | 800 | 1,600 | Education & Awareness, Training | Vancouver |
| Strawberry Vale Elementary School | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,850 | 4,000 | Education & Awareness, Training | Victoria |
| Williams Lake Field Naturalists/Scout Island Nature Centre | Salmonids in the Classroom | 6,112 | 42,517 | Education & Awareness, Training | Williams Lake |
| Stream of Dreams Murals Society | Stream of Dreams | 5000 | 16,079 | Education & Awareness, Training | Vancouver |
|
TOTAL |
194,989 | 1,254,630 | |||
