Pacific Salmon Foundation Announces $1.2M to 114 Grassroots Salmon Projects
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2021
VANCOUVER – Today, Pacific Salmon Foundation is announcing more than $1.2M in grants to 114 grassroots Pacific salmon conservation projects in 66 communities across B.C. The value of these projects is more than $8 Million including donations of cash, in-kind and volunteer time at the community level.
Many of the projects will happen throughout the summer during the ‘fisheries window’ when salmon aren’t in streams and can’t be harmed. Funds will help Indigenous and community stewards lead on local projects to:
- Restore salmon habitat in streams, rivers and estuaries;
- operate conservation hatcheries and deliver related education programs to schools and the broader community; and
- lead on “citizen science” projects to better understand the challenges Pacific salmon face amidst climate change and development pressures.
Funds came from the Foundation’s Community Salmon Program which is primarily supported by proceeds from the federal Salmon Conservation Stamp. Anglers purchase the $6 decal with their fishing license in order to retain Pacific salmon species caught while fishing in saltwater.
“Empowering Indigenous and community stewards to lead at the local level is at the heart of the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s work – and it will only become more important in the context of climate change,” says Michael Meneer, Pacific Salmon Foundation President and CEO. “Climate change means unpredictable conditions and pressures for salmon. By equipping communities to lead on local climate action, we can be more responsive and deal with immediate issues like drought and high temperatures. Also, every salmon stream is different. Community stewards are in their watersheds everyday and are ideally positioned to monitor unique changes precipitated by climate change.”
Unfortunately, due to COVID travel restrictions, the Foundation is forecasting a 30% decrease in available funds for the next granting year.
“As an avid fisherman, I know first-hand how devastating recent fishing restrictions have been to communities and businesses over the last few years,” says Ed Oldfield, volunteer and president of the Powell River Salmon Society. “As a volunteer, I also know how important Pacific Salmon Foundation support is to community stewardship groups. If Pacific salmon are worth more than $6 to you, I encourage you to purchase that Salmon Stamp even if you can’t go fishing. Or better yet, make a donation to PSF!”
Donations can be made online at psf.ca. The Community Salmon Program also benefits from corporations with sustainability goals. Trans Mountain, Mosaic Forest Management, BC Hydro, Enbridge, Methanex, Seaspan, FortisBC Energy are all corporate supporters of the Program. Interested businesses are encouraged to contact Senior Business Development Manager, Cory Matheson at cmatheson@psf.ca.
The Province of British Columbia also contributed funds to the Community Salmon Program as part of a $5 million grant, through 2023 to address the immediate and ongoing needs of Pacific salmon and their habitat.
-END-
Backgrounder
Twice a year, the Pacific Salmon Foundation issues a call for applications to the Community Salmon Program. All projects are vetted via four layers of approval. First an independent technical committee reviews each project to ensure that it will work as designed and provide a benefit for the intended population of Pacific salmon. Then each project is sent to DFO for a separate technical review to ensure alignment with DFO priorities and that efforts are not being duplicated. Next, projects are reviewed by a grants committee comprised of PSF board members and independent scientific experts. Finally, selected projects are reviewed by the PSF board at large which comprises representatives of all stakeholders vested in Pacific salmon including Indigenous government, federal government and DFO (retired), the recreational fishing sector, the commercial fishing sector, the shipping industry and resource sectors.
The following projects were funded through the Foundation’ most recent granting round:
| Location | Project Title | Funding confirmed $ | Project Value $ |
| Abbotsford | Salmonids in the Classroom – chiller repair | 650 | 1,450 |
| Abbotsford | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,300 | 2,775 |
| Alert Bay | Nimpkish River (Gwa’ni Hatchery) Upgrades and Repairs | 19,000 | 60,800 |
| Alert Bay | Glendale River Pink Salmon Enhancement Pilot Project | 25,000 | 85,000 |
| Barrierre | Louis Creek Modified Design Streambank Restoration Project | 60,670 | 441,903 |
| Bella Bella | First Nations-led habitat restoration in locally important salmon streams impacted by historic stream cleaning on the Central Coast of BC | 10,000 | 66,480 |
| Bella Bella | Quantifying survival and harvest rate for wild Central Coast coho – developing a coho coded wire tag indicator stock on the Koeye River | 22,800 | 366,800 |
| Burnaby | Salmonids in the Classroom – chiller repair | 370 | 1,790 |
| Burnaby | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,300 | 2,825 |
| Burnaby | Playground Restoration | 2,500 | 5,000 |
| Burns Lake | Virtual Invisible Migration Event | 10,000 | 39,000 |
| Cache Creek | Hat Creek Modified Design Streambank Restoration Project | 57,728 | 311,090 |
| Chemainus | Log Jam 1 & 2 | 1,825 | 4,445 |
| Chillliwack | Wingfield Creek Rearing Ponds | 900 | 2,150 |
| Chillliwack | Deer Creek Off-Channel Habitat Intake Rehabilitation | 5,800 | 14,760 |
| Comox | Incubation Upgrades | 1,190 | 5,615 |
| Comox | Hatchery Site Security | 9,220 | 19,940 |
| Comox | Hydrology and Habitat Assessment of Brooklyn Creek | 19,850 | 49,340 |
| Coquitlam | Salmonids in the Classroom – 2x chiller repair | 800 | 2,800 |
| Coquitlam | Reeve Slough Salmon Habitat Reconnection 2021 | 37,000 | 370,025 |
| Courtenay | Piercy Ceek Public Information Signage | 2,486 | 6,592 |
| Courtenay | Picket Spring Refresh Project | 7,536 | 36,027 |
| Courtenay | Kitty Coleman Creek Enhancement Project 2021 | 10,525 | 25,870 |
| Courtenay | Arden Creek Restoration | 59,705 | 116,585 |
| Cowichan Bay | Restoring Riparian Salmon Habitat in the Cowichan: Youth Engagement | 8,744 | 65,844 |
| Delta | Cougar Creek Beaver Pond Leveller #2 | 1,644 | 4,834 |
| Delta | Stream of Dreams at Gray Elementary | 6,459 | 20,977 |
| Enderby | Conservation Through Education | 7,300 | 113,650 |
| Fanny Bay | Water Quality Measuring Kit | 2,500 | 5,786 |
| Galiano Island | Salmonids in the Classroom 2021 | 2,500 | 9,900 |
| Gibsons | Keystone Salmon Story Board | 2,500 | 5,080 |
| Gibsons | SCCA 2021 Gibsons Creek Stream Keepers Training | 2,500 | 7,800 |
| Harrison Hot Springs | Website Development | 600 | 2,350 |
| Hazleton | McCully Creek Restoration Initiative | 20,700 | 42,200 |
| Horsefly | Horsefly-Quesnel clean, drain and dry signs | 1,500 | 5,250 |
| Kamloops | Stream of Dreams at Juniper Ridge Elementary | 6,936 | 21,374 |
| Kitwanga | Kitwanga Sockeye Hatchery: Water source and site assessments | 45,000 | 508,621 |
| Langford | Millstream Creek Restoration and Stewardship | 20,000 | 76,000 |
| Langley | Emergency Generator Backup Replacement | 25,276 | 50,599 |
| Lillooet | Development of a salmonid outmigrant program to inform population rebuilding in the Middle Fraser River | 40,000 | 139,260 |
| Maple Ridge | Pump replacement | 2,143 | 7,543 |
| Maple Ridge | Allco Community Fish Hatchery – River Pump Rebuild | 2,500 | 8,800 |
| Merritt | Lower Nicola River Modified Design Streambank Restoration Project | 26,578 | 247,656 |
| Nanaimo | Walley Creek In-Stream Restoration Reach 2 | 2,500 | 15,100 |
| Nanaimo | Departure Creek 2021 | 33,169 | 87,225 |
| Nanaimo | Nanaimo River Hatchery Upgrades | 49,761 | 309,586 |
| Nanoose Bay | Eco-Cultural Estuary Restoration | 26,500 | 180,100 |
| Nelson | Kokanee Salmon Education | 1,871 | 6,159 |
| New Hazleton | Mission Creek Fish Fence Panel Repair | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| New Westminster | Salmonids in the Classroom – chiller repair | 500 | 1,225 |
| North Vancouver | Salmonids in the Classroom – chiller repair | 500 | 1,100 |
| North Vancouver | North Shore Rain Garden Project | 2,500 | 20,700 |
| North Vancouver | Coho Festival 2021 Virtual Community Engagement and Education Project | 10,000 | 65,000 |
| North Vancouver | Seymour Hatchery Education & Community Outreach Signage | 16,250 | 67,400 |
| Parksville | Lawn Signs to Promote Actions For a Healthy Creekshed | 2,400 | 14,434 |
| Port Alberni | Somass Estuary Flood Channel Restoration Project | 7,613 | 91,300 |
| Port Alberni | Riparian Restoration in Huu-ay-aht Territory | 17,500 | 54,500 |
| Port Coquitlam | Coho Pond Upgrade | 1,250 | 2,870 |
| Port Hardy | Scientific Tools | 2,100 | 6,540 |
| Port Hardy | Oconnor Lake Net Pen Repair Project | 18,500 | 33,390 |
| Port Moody | Chips and Fish | 15,000 | 103,510 |
| Powell River | Streamkeepers Training | 2,374 | 5,474 |
| Powell River | Education Incubators Expansion | 2,500 | 20,500 |
| Powell River | Lang Creek Property Renovation Project | 11,500 | 404,950 |
| Prince George | Stream to Sea Program Education Training | 2,500 | 68,200 |
| Prince George | SCWA BackCountry Emergency Preparedness | 2,500 | 14,000 |
| Prince George | Upper Fraser Salmon Stewardship Tanks | 5,000 | 14,360 |
| Prince George | Using Environmental DNA (eDNA) to Assess the Distribution of Juvenile Salmonids in the Nechako Basin, Phase 2 | 26,100 | 95,910 |
| Prince Rupert | Education Center Display | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| Quadra Island | Hyacinthe (McKercher) Creek Habitat Enhancement Programt | 7,577 | 23,287 |
| Quesnel | Lhtako Elders interviews | 1,500 | 6,240 |
| Quesnel | Pink Salmon Patrol | 2,500 | 7,400 |
| Richmond | Salmonids in the Classroom – 4x chiller repair | 2,500 | 4,300 |
| Roberts Creek | Climate Change & Salmonid: Recording Creek Water/Air Temperatures | 2,450 | 4,951 |
| Saanich | Colquitz Creek Stewardship | 2,400 | 25,000 |
| Sechelt | Hatchery upgrade: purchase and installation of hatchery alarm system and scale | 2,000 | 4,000 |
| Simoom Sound | SCFS Training Facilities Improvement | 2,500 | 7,330 |
| Smithers | Strengthening Knowledge Connections with Community-based Watershed Organizations in the Skeena River Watershed | 10,000 | 62,450 |
| Smithers | Toboggan Creek Hatchery Outdoor Rearing Pond Upgrade | 35,000 | 249,000 |
| Sooke | Salmonids in the Classroom – 2x chiller repair & cart purchase | 2,000 | 2,790 |
| Sooke | Sooke Chinook Enhancement Initiative – Temporary Marine Enclosures | 20,000 | 93,250 |
| South Coast, Sunshine Coast | Citizen Engagement to Address European Green Crab | 27,600 | 298,276 |
| Squamish | Spectacular Spawning Salmon of Squamish | 1,500 | 17,000 |
| Squamish | Squamish Yellow Fish Salmon-at-Work Signage | 1,500 | 4,100 |
| Squamish | Squamish Spit Removal | 50,500 | 696,187 |
| Surrey | Stream of Dreams at Fort Langley Elementary | 4,027 | 13,095 |
| Surrey | Stream of Dreams at Ecole Peace Arch Elementary | 6,707 | 21,641 |
| Tahsis | Tacic (Tahsis) River Forest Cover Restoration for Chinook Habitat | 10,053 | 21,398 |
| Tatla Lake | Stream of Dreams at Tatla Lake School | 1,500 | 5,024 |
| Terrace | Skeena Salmon Stewardship Squad | 2,408 | 20,996 |
| Terrace | Environmental Sensitive Area Signs | 2,500 | 9,170 |
| Tofino | UAV based enumerations of chum salmon in Clayoquot Sound Rivers | 2,500 | 85,254 |
| Tsawwassen | Tsawwassen First Nation Salmon Stewards Week | 5,000 | 47,480 |
| Ucluelet | Interactive Centre Stream Table | 2,500 | 33,640 |
| Ucluelet | WCVI/Toquaht River Hatchery Chinook Survival Project | 2,500 | 58,700 |
| Vancouver | Salmonids in the Classroom – chiller repair | 600 | 1,230 |
| Vancouver | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,300 | 2,800 |
| Vancouver | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,300 | 2,900 |
| Vancouver | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,300 | 3,485 |
| Vancouver | Uninterrupted-VR 2021 Metro Vancouver Tour | 15,000 | 386,000 |
| Victoria | Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary Stream Assessment & Stewardship | 2,280 | 6,010 |
| Victoria | Gorge Herring Project | 2,500 | 36,000 |
| Victoria | Salmonids in the Classroom Program 2021: Aquarium Chillers | 3,695 | 11,240 |
| Victoria | The Beach Education and Conservation of Habitat Program | 4,000 | 74,500 |
| Victoria | Stream of Dreams at St. Joseph’s Elementary School | 4,400 | 14,282 |
| Victoria | Hagan Creek and Millstream Creek Cutthroat Habitat/Population Assessment Project | 9,300 | 45,700 |
| Victoria | The Peninsula Streams Society Water Quality Program | 10,000 | 56,080 |
| Victoria | Forage Fish Beach Construction | 13,000 | 48,500 |
| Victoria | Advancing Salmonid Enumeration on Colquitz River with Technology | 13,000 | 60,077 |
| Victoria | Gorge Creek Restoration | 26,000 | 68,350 |
| West Vancouver | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,300 | 3,195 |
| West Vancouver | Salmonids in the Classroom | 1,300 | 2,785 |
| Williams Lake | Stream to Sea Aquarium Supplies | 700 | 14,040 |
| Williams Lake | Horsefly Watershed Salmon Habitat Restoration | 81,088 | 296,703 |
| 1,259,708 | 8,025,454 |
Contact
Allison Colina
acolina@psf.ca
About the Pacific Salmon Foundation:
PSF is the independent, thoughtful leader and catalyst in conservation, restoration, and enhancement of Pacific salmon and their ecosystems through strategic partnerships and leveraged use of resources. www.psf.ca
