Generic Header Image

Funds announced for Campbell River fish and wildlife projects

Funds Announced for Local Fish and Wildlife Projects

CAMPBELL RIVER – Four conservation projects in the Campbell River watersheds are being given more than $360,000
of funding through the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP).

Some of the funds will go toward efforts to recover the endangered Vancouver Island Marmot. Other projects include the purchase of 67 hectares of private land in the Salmon River Estuary, an important coastal wetland habitat for herons, owls, and many fish species. Other funds will be used to improve fish habitat in Grilse Creek and provide improved habitat for steelhead, coho and resident trout.

Projects start this spring and will conclude by early 2015. They are among 31 fish and wildlife projects approved for more than $1.7 million in funding this year in the FWCP’s Coastal region.


QUOTES:

Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines
“In BC, we are blessed to have hydroelectric facilities that generate clean power. This electricity is the backbone of our economy. It is our responsibility to ensure our resources are cared for and preserved. This year alone, more than $7 million will go towards protecting fish and wildlife in areas with hydroelectric operations, through more than 80 individual projects. The projects are carefully selected by local boards in each region, which have representation from the public, First Nations, DFO, the Province and BC Hydro.”

Brian Assu, Chair, FWCP – Coastal Regional Board
“Some of the projects funded by FWCP this year address land conservation and habitat restoration, which are critical to sustaining fish and wildlife populations. We are fortunate to be working with such capable groups committed to making a real difference in this watershed.”

Patrice Rother, Manager, Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program

“We are pleased with the strong interest in the FWCP and the quality of project proposals that support the FWCP vision of thriving populations in watersheds that are functioning and sustainable.”

A few facts about the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program

• The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program funds conservation and enhancement projects in the Coastal, Columbia River and Peace River regions. The Coastal Region includes Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and the Southern Interior.
• In 2014, the FWCP will provide more than $7 million towards more than 80 fish and wildlife projects province-wide in its Coastal, Columbia and Peace regions.
• FWCP funds are provided by BC Hydro and managed in a partnership with the Province of British Columbia, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations and the public to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife impacted by the creation of BC Hydro dams.
• Funding applications are received each fall and reviewed annually in the Coastal Region by technical committees and FWCP Coastal Board members. Projects are chosen based on technical merit, linkages to watershed-specific priorities, cost-effectiveness, level of partnership, and overall benefit to the FWCP’s mandate and vision.
• For a full list and descriptions of all 2014 projects funded by the FWCP across the province, and information on how you can apply for funding next year, visit fwcp.ca.

Contact:
Stephen Watson, on behalf of the FWCP
BC Hydro, Vancouver Island Community Relations Phone: 250-755-4795 steve.watson@bchydro.com