Thanks to a federal grant, 10 North Shore, Sunshine Coast and Sea-to-Sky area salmon projects will share a $270,000 pot.
The Pacific Salmon Foundation is the recipient of the grant, recently announced by Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea. More than $160,000 of the funding - which is slated to go toward habitat rehabilitation, salmon enhancement, education and community awareness - is for North Shore projects.
"While the foundation annually manages the granting process, the real hard work is done by community groups that select the restoration work, design projects, and generate the funds within their communities to match each grant at least dollar-to-dollar," stated Dr. Brian Riddell, CEO and president of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, in a media release. "The success of our program is really a tribute to our partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and our community collaborators due (to) their continuous efforts."
Five of the 10 projects receiving the funding are based in North and West Vancouver, including: n North Vancouver School District 44 is receiving $1,500 for its $3,000 project to update signage at the Cheakamus Centre; n Seymour Salmonid Society is receiving $65,000 for its $500,000 Seymour River estuary restoration project; n Tsleil-Waututh Nation is getting $40,000 for its more than $250,000 project to restore the Indian River Watershed; n West Vancouver Streamkeepers is getting $50,000 for its $135,710 McDonald Creek estuary enhancement project; n The stream keepers are also getting an additional $5,694 for classroom education at West Vancouver schools about salmonids.
Funding for the grants was generated in part through the proceeds from anglers obtaining Salmon Conservation Stamps through Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
The Pacific Salmon Foundation had fundraising dinners in the 10 communities where donations also made the funding possible.
