The Great Bear Sea is next to the sacred Great Bear Rainforest. Located off the North and Central Coasts of BC, the area includes Haida Gwaii and the waters around Northern Vancouver Island. Also known as the Northern Shelf Bioregion, these abundant offshore islands, rocky shorelines and deep fjords are home to iconic wildlife. Every summer, migrating humpback whales come to feed in these rich waters. Both Bigg’s and Northern Resident killer whales cruise through the Great Bear Sea. Once hunted to extinction from BC, reintroduced sea otters are bouncing back and helping bring back balance to ecosystems. Healthy kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and glass sponge reefs provide shelter for marine life like rockfish and shrimp. This rich stretch of ocean helps fight climate change by storing blue carbon.
Indigenous Peoples have stewarded the Great Bear Sea since time before memory. These waters have supported vibrant societies and cultures for thousands of years. Indigenous Peoples continue to lead the stewardship of healthy coastal waters now and for generations to come. Care and respect for nature is woven through many cultural values. Responsible management of the coast ensures sustainable resources and local food security.
The Great Bear Sea is next to the sacred Great Bear Rainforest. Located off the North and Central Coasts of BC, the area includes Haida Gwaii and the waters around Northern Vancouver Island. Also known as the Northern Shelf Bioregion, these abundant offshore islands, rocky shorelines and deep fjords are home to iconic wildlife. Every summer, migrating humpback whales come to feed in these rich waters. Both Bigg’s and Northern Resident killer whales cruise through the Great Bear Sea. Once hunted to extinction from BC, reintroduced sea otters are bouncing back and helping bring back balance to ecosystems. Healthy kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and glass sponge reefs provide shelter for marine life like rockfish and shrimp. This rich stretch of ocean helps fight climate change by storing blue carbon.
Indigenous Peoples have stewarded the Great Bear Sea since time before memory. These waters have supported vibrant societies and cultures for thousands of years. Indigenous Peoples continue to lead the stewardship of healthy coastal waters now and for generations to come. Care and respect for nature is woven through many cultural values. Responsible management of the coast ensures sustainable resources and local food security.
Working Together to Create Canada’s First Marine Protected Area Network
Now the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss threaten these rich waters’ ability to provide for the future. Overharvesting, destructive fishing, and pollution are mounting pressure and adding excess stress. Marine protected areas can act as an insurance policy to keep marine life healthy in the face of a changing ocean. These designations grant refuge from harmful human activities. When we protect the oceans, we’re not only protecting nature. We’re also supporting healthy, sustainable, local economies along the coast.
For over a decade, 17 First Nations in partnership with the federal and provincial governments, have been working together to create Canada’s first network of marine protected areas to safeguard the Great Bear Sea. The MPA network aims to protect marine wildlife and First Nations’ cultural conservation priorities.
Working Together to Create Canada’s First Marine Protected Area Network
Now the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss threaten these rich waters’ ability to provide for the future. Overharvesting, destructive fishing, and pollution are mounting pressure and adding excess stress. Marine protected areas can act as an insurance policy to keep marine life healthy in the face of a changing ocean. These designations grant refuge from harmful human activities. When we protect the oceans, we’re not only protecting nature. We’re also supporting healthy, sustainable, local economies along the coast.
For over a decade, 17 First Nations in partnership with the federal and provincial governments, have been working together to create Canada’s first network of marine protected areas to safeguard the Great Bear Sea. The MPA network aims to protect marine wildlife and First Nations’ cultural conservation priorities.
Existing marine protected areas potential for a connected marine protected areas in the Great Bear Sea
Now it’s time for us all to connect the dots. We’ve seen MPA networks work in other parts of the world; now it’s BC’s turn to level up for our coast. By adding many smaller protected areas to neighbouring hotspots, the network can link important marine habitats. The benefits of a single MPA will spillover and amplify beyond the protected borders. MPA networks are more comprehensive and safeguard ocean biodiversity more effectively than individual sites.
Share your Support for Canada’s First MPA Network
Right now we need your help to share support for the completion of the network of marine protected areas. MPAs and networks provide refuge for ocean life to thrive and also benefit people by supporting sustainable industries, local economies, and coastal communities.
Tell the MPA Network partners that the network must have strong protections and meet minimum standards to support both the people and marine life who depend on these waters.
There will be public webinars, open houses and online surveys. Please visit MPAnetwork.ca to learn how you can share your support for the MPA network.
NEW! Learn more about the Great Bear Sea by visiting: greatbearsea.org
Learn More
Check out our Site by Site series on the Great Bear Sea Marine Protected Area Network
An offering for Indigenous History Month. Sign-up to CPAWS-BC for the latest BC conservation news, updates and action alerts to your inbox.
Sage smoke softly rises, delicately piercing the warm sun rays of spring as I smudge in mindful reverence, offering gratitude to my fellow Indigenous communities across Canada. June is National Indigenous History Month – an opportunity to celebrate contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples to nature stewardship in so-called Canada.
The conservation movement has a history of erasure and exclusion of Indigenous Peoples. Early settlers created an unnatural dichotomy between uninhabited wilderness and settlements that included the forcible removal of Indigenous People from the land. Alongside the loss of language, stories and experience on the land we’ve lost how to live in balance with Mother Earth. Healthy Nature provides everything we need: food, shelter, and medicine. It’s up to all of us together, to return the favour as caretakers of the lands and waters. Indigenous-led conservation has a role to play not only in reconciliation and healing, but also in building a stronger future together.
It is ironic that those who have played the least role in causing climate change, namely Indigenous People, are the ones who are being affected the most by it.
Many species have been vastly reduced because of the human footprint. We clear cut trees, which then affects the salmon and other life. The soil no longer has anything to hold it together, and so we see mudslides in the heavy rain season.
With your support, CPAWS has been defending lands and waters in BC for over 30 years. Our work to protect lands and waters has been shouldered by Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years. Since time before memory, Indigenous Peoples lived in balance with Mother Earth –taking only what’s needed and taking care of Nature in return for the gifts of food, water and medicine.
I believe we must bring our voices together and uplift Indigenous Knowledge as a solution. What CPAWS-BC does is for the benefit of all walks of life, humans, animals, birds, plants, forests and the list goes on.
A double whammy of climate change and accelerated species loss threatens our survival and of Nature we love. Despite all odds, new models of Indigenous-led conservation are already underway that can protect us all as Nature copes with the rising tide of development.
As the sound of singing and drums ring across ancestral lands and waters, I invite you to join us throughout June in celebrating and supporting Indigenous Peoples in their pursuit of preserving their Territories, and culture and in healing nature and humanity. It is not too late to do something, as we saw through the pandemic, when industries were forced to shut down or scale back, air quality improved in many of the most polluted cities in the world, people could see the tops of the Himalayas previously not possible due to pollution. Birdsongs and wildlife reclaimed city streets. So we can change what we are doing and minimize our impact on the wild places we depend on.
Thank you for being here. I am confident that we are on a solid path together to ensure that lands, waters and wildlife we all share a connection with will be protected now and forever.
Yours in conservation,
Kevin Barlow (Mi’kmaw) Executive Director, CPAWS-BC
Community Events and Happenings:
Meet the Matriarchs: Squamish Nation Knowledge Sharers. Join three generations of Squamish Nation knowledge keepers: Kultsia Barbara Wyss, T’uy’t’tanat Cease Wyss and Senaqwila Wyss Friday June 3 at the Museum of North Vancouver.
Reframing our Worldview – Honouring Indigenous History and Experience. Join Kevin Barlow, Executive Director of CPAWS-BC on 20 June at 6 pm (PDT) for tools and strategies that non-Indigenous people may use to self-assess possible biases and gain a stronger understanding of the richness of Indigenous history in Canada.
Tune in: APTN Indigenous Day 2022 Live in Winnipeg or check out your local Cultural Center or Friendship Center volunteer opportunities, supports and celebrations on National Indigenous People’s Day this June 21, 2022.
An offering for Indigenous History Month. Sign-up to CPAWS-BC for the latest BC conservation news, updates and action alerts to your inbox.
Sage smoke softly rises, delicately piercing the warm sun rays of spring as I smudge in mindful reverence, offering gratitude to my fellow Indigenous communities across Canada. June is National Indigenous History Month – an opportunity to celebrate contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples to nature stewardship in so-called Canada.
The conservation movement has a history of erasure and exclusion of Indigenous Peoples. Early settlers created an unnatural dichotomy between uninhabited wilderness and settlements that included the forcible removal of Indigenous People from the land. Alongside the loss of language, stories and experience on the land we’ve lost how to live in balance with Mother Earth. Healthy Nature provides everything we need: food, shelter, and medicine. It’s up to all of us together, to return the favour as caretakers of the lands and waters. Indigenous-led conservation has a role to play not only in reconciliation and healing, but also in building a stronger future together.
It is ironic that those who have played the least role in causing climate change, namely Indigenous People, are the ones who are being affected the most by it.
Many species have been vastly reduced because of the human footprint. We clear cut trees, which then affects the salmon and other life. The soil no longer has anything to hold it together, and so we see mudslides in the heavy rain season.
With your support, CPAWS has been defending lands and waters in BC for over 30 years. Our work to protect lands and waters has been shouldered by Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years. Since time before memory, Indigenous Peoples lived in balance with Mother Earth –taking only what’s needed and taking care of Nature in return for the gifts of food, water and medicine.
I believe we must bring our voices together and uplift Indigenous Knowledge as a solution. What CPAWS-BC does is for the benefit of all walks of life, humans, animals, birds, plants, forests and the list goes on.
A double whammy of climate change and accelerated species loss threatens our survival and of Nature we love. Despite all odds, new models of Indigenous-led conservation are already underway that can protect us all as Nature copes with the rising tide of development.
As the sound of singing and drums ring across ancestral lands and waters, I invite you to join us throughout June in celebrating and supporting Indigenous Peoples in their pursuit of preserving their Territories, and culture and in healing nature and humanity. It is not too late to do something, as we saw through the pandemic, when industries were forced to shut down or scale back, air quality improved in many of the most polluted cities in the world, people could see the tops of the Himalayas previously not possible due to pollution. Birdsongs and wildlife reclaimed city streets. So we can change what we are doing and minimize our impact on the wild places we depend on.
Thank you for being here. I am confident that we are on a solid path together to ensure that lands, waters and wildlife we all share a connection with will be protected now and forever.
Yours in conservation,
Kevin Barlow (Mi’kmaw) Executive Director, CPAWS-BC
Community Events and Happenings:
Meet the Matriarchs: Squamish Nation Knowledge Sharers. Join three generations of Squamish Nation knowledge keepers: Kultsia Barbara Wyss, T’uy’t’tanat Cease Wyss and Senaqwila Wyss Friday June 3 at the Museum of North Vancouver.
Reframing our Worldview – Honouring Indigenous History and Experience. Join Kevin Barlow, Executive Director of CPAWS-BC on 20 June at 6 pm (PDT) for tools and strategies that non-Indigenous people may use to self-assess possible biases and gain a stronger understanding of the richness of Indigenous history in Canada.
Tune in: APTN Indigenous Day 2022 Live in Winnipeg or check out your local Cultural Center or Friendship Center volunteer opportunities, supports and celebrations on National Indigenous People’s Day this June 21, 2022.
Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is MPA: A Deepsea Oasis
Thousands of metres beneath the swells of the open ocean west of Vancouver Island is the Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is Marine Protected Area (MPA). This mysterious Deepsea Oasis is teeming with life.
The waters of Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is have enriched the lives of the Haida, Nuu-chah-nulth, Pacheedaht, Quatsino Peoples for millenia. Pronounced Tung – Gwun, huch/khwi/kuk, tsee-geese, the marine protected area (MPA) name consists of a Haida word meaning deep ocean (Tang.ɢwan), a Nuu-chah-nulth and Pacheedaht word meaning deepest part of the ocean (ḥačxwiqak), and a Quatsino word referring to a monster of the deep (Tsig̱is). Whales and seabirds on the ocean surface have long signaled a rich ecosystem below. First Nations are working with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to protect and co-manage their fishing territory.
In these dark waters, seamounts rise 3000 metres above the seafloor, extending higher than Whistler Mountain. These underwater volcanoes are biodiversity hotspots offering a buffet for marine wildlife. Like the Galápagos Islands to the south, each of the nearly 50 seamounts is unique, providing critical habitat for endemic species.
Hydrothermal vents, which are like deep sea hot springs, release superheated water and minerals from under the Earth’s crust. These vents are home to 10 species recorded nowhere else in the world.
Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is would encompass all of Canada’s hydrothermal vents and 75% of its known seamounts.
A Hotspot for Marine Protection
Canada created its first marine protected area (MPA), Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents MPA, in this region in 2003. The proposed Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is MPA would give stronger, permanent marine protection for the Deepsea Oasis – an area four times the size of Vancouver Island. It would be the biggest protected area of any kind in Canada, and add a welcome boost toward Canada’s commitment of 30% ocean protection by 2030.
A Hotspot for Marine Protection
Canada created its first marine protected area (MPA), Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents MPA, in this region in 2003. The proposed Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxʷiqak – Tsig̱is MPA would give stronger, permanent marine protection for the Deepsea Oasis – an area four times the size of Vancouver Island. It would be the biggest protected area of any kind in Canada, and add a welcome boost toward Canada’s commitment of 30% ocean protection by 2030.
TIMELINE
2003 – Endeavour Hydrothermal Vent in BC designated as Canada’s first Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act (was announced as a pilot MPA in 1998)
2009 – Pacific Offshore listed by the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat as one of 13 bioregions which inform marine planning exercises including MPA network development
2017 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada declares the Offshore Pacific Bioregion area of interest for a potential MPA
2017 – Marine refuge declared for the large Offshore Pacific area of interest. The Fisheries closure, categorized as an Other-Effective Conservation Measure (OECM) with partial protections, encompasses a number of seamounts and hydrothermal vents – identified as Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs)
2023: Memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Haida Nation, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Pacheedaht First Nation, Quatsino First Nation, and the Canadian government (MPA) signals final consultation through Canada Gazette to become an MPA
Meeting MPA Minimum Standards
BC’s rich deep sea ocean life is under threat. Bottom-contact fishing such as longlines, trap fishing, and trawling is highly destructive to the seafloor. Deep sea mining could destroy fragile habitats on seamounts and hydrothermal vents.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada designated a large portion of the Deepsea Oasis as a fishing closure in 2017. This prohibits bottom-contact fishing, but it still allows, other harmful industrial activities. A marine protected area would enforce Canada’s MPA minimum standards: banning bottom trawling, dumping, oil and gas exploration and deep sea mining.
Hydrothermal vents expel hot plumes of mineral-rich gases. Photo: Ocean Networks Canada (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
Meeting MPA Minimum Standards
BC’s rich deep sea ocean life is under threat. Bottom-contact fishing such as longlines, trap fishing, and trawling is highly destructive to the seafloor. Deep sea mining could destroy fragile habitats on seamounts and hydrothermal vents.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada designated a large portion of the Deepsea Oasis as a fishing closure in 2017. This prohibits bottom-contact fishing, but it still allows, other harmful industrial activities. A marine protected area would enforce Canada’s MPA minimum standards: banning bottom trawling, dumping, oil and gas exploration and deep sea mining.
The Sea of Glass: Protecting BC’s unique glass sponge reefs
Deep in the cold dark waters of the BC coast lie rare ecosystems once thought extinct: glass sponge reefs! While individual glass sponges have been identified around the world, glass sponge reefs are mostly unique to beautiful British Columbia. On the north and central coasts, these living reefs stretch for hundreds of kilometres across the seafloor and reach the height of a six story building. Smaller reefs also grow in the Salish Sea on the south coast, just outside Vancouver and Victoria. BC truly has a sea of glass!
Natural Solution to Climate Change
These marine animals are an integral part of a healthy marine habitat. Glass sponge reefs provide shelter for marine life including rockfish and shrimp, store carbon on the ocean floor, filter bacteria out of the water, and fertilize the ocean. The sea of glass supports thriving culture and livelihoods for coastal communities.
With skeletons made of silica, these sponges are extremely fragile. Bottom contact fishing such as bottom trawling and shrimp trapping easily shatter their bodies. Sediment on the seafloor kicked up by these fishing methods also causes them to “choke” and stop feeding.
Glass sponge reefs provide habitat for economically important rockfish and shrimp
Strong Permanent Protection for the Sea of Glass
CPAWS-BC looks to protect the Sea of Glass by calling on the federal government to ban bottom contact fishing on or near glass sponge reefs with marine protected areas (MPAs) and Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs) such as marine refuges and fishing closures.
Hecate Strait/Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs Marine Protected Area
Off the north and central coasts of BC, the Hecate Strait/Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs Marine Protected Area (MPA) prohibits bottom contact fishing. CPAWS-BC is calling on the federal government to make the MPA bigger because new research shows that sediment from beyond the one kilometre buffer zone, as far away as six kilometres, can cause the sponges to choke.
Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound Glass Sponge Reefs
On the south coast, the marine refuges and fishing closures of the Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound Glass Sponge Reef Conservation Initiative protect the Salish Sea’s glass sponge reefs. While not full marine protected areas, these OECMs prohibit bottom contact fishing. CPAWS-BC is calling on the federal government to make these protections more permanent since the current laws can be removed with a change in ministry leadership. We are also calling for better monitoring and enforcement because after the fact fines do not prevent fishing damage from occurring in the first place.
Stay Up To Date
Stay up to date with conservation news and learn how you can take action to protect BC’s unique glass sponge reefs by signing up for our newsletter.
For more information, please contact: Rippon Madtha Communications Manager rippon@cpawsbc.org 604-685-7445 (x23)
May 04, 2022
Young British Columbians make bold entrance in parliament, sound alarm for urgent action on climate and nature
Youth are asserting their right to a just and livable future, with some of the first in-person provincial parliament meetings since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic
Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories / Vancouver, BC – On Wednesday, 20 young British Columbians—from Coast Salish (Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island) to Ktunaxa territory (West Kootenays)—are congregating in Victoria’s parliament building to demand action on one of the top issues affecting young Canadians today: climate change, and its threat to nature.
Throughout the day, the youth are meeting with Cabinet ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), and other government officials to express their concerns on the dire state of global warming and species extinction in BC, and demand swift action to halt the twin crises. Their visit includes meetings with the new Minister of Land, Water, and Resource Stewardship, the Honourable Josie Osborne, the leader of BC’s Green Party, Sonia Furstenau, and several other key elected officials.
With nearly 18% of BC’s population between the ages of 15 and 29, it’s critical that youth—especially those from underrepresented communities, or visible minorities—are included in provincial decision-making. Of these youth, many are also not eligible to vote; yet, their lives will be disproportionately impacted by climate change events relative to older generations. Already, 71% of young Canadians agree that they will suffer from more environmental health problems than their parents.
“As we’re seeing in Victoria today, youth are hungry to have their voices heard. Decisions made by government today will impact their futures for decades to come,” says Brynna Kagawa-Visentin, Youth Engagement Coordinator with CPAWS-BC. “It’s crucial that youth—who belong to BC’s mosaic of underrepresented communities and include visible minorities—are invited into rooms where climate and biodiversity decisions are made. Diversity is the hinge on many doors that could open if youth are actively invited into decision-making spaces.”
Youth advocating for youth—and pushing for environmental protections—carves space out for future conservation leaders to uplift the community’s voices and build careers that support conservation initiatives. With Canada’s commitment to protecting 25% of lands and waters by 2025 and 30% by 2030, and an effective Nature Agreement to be signed between the federal and provincial governments, strong voices for nature are needed more than ever. BC is home to over 1900 species-at-risk, and both Indigenous Knowledge and western science agree that safeguarding more habitat for BC’s biodiverse plant and animal life is key to slowing down climate change.
“My hope is that these meetings set a precedent by showing other civically-interested youth that your voices won’t reverberate in an empty room. Leaders are listening for your fresh ideas and input to help protect BC’s incredible wildlife and landscapes, and build a better future for all,” says Kagawa-Visentin. “We look forward to seeing government officials further engage with young British Columbians on future biodiversity and climate change projects, including those informed by the upcoming Nature Agreement.”
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For more information, contact: Rippon Madtha Communications Manager 604-685-7445 (x23) rippon@cpawsbc.org
Background and Key Facts:
70% of the youth lobbying in parliament today identify as part of an underrepresented group or visible minority
According to Ipsos polling, 4 in 10 young Canadians state that they have been impacted by climate change
In 2020, the youth unemployment rate was 15.5%—more than the US or UK. Real life experience and training opportunities—like advocating for conservation in government meetings—are key to elevating youth out of unemployment and into green careers that address climate change and biodiversity loss
In February 2021, the BC and Canadian governments announced the development of a Nature Agreement. Negotiations have been underway since then. The agreement is expected to act as a framework for bi-lateral collaboration, and include recovery measures for at-risk species including Spotted Owl and caribou
CPAWS-BC: BC Government’s Historic Action Plan Signals Path for More Indigenous Reconciliation, Two Years Since Adoption of Indigenous Rights Act
April 12, 2022,
Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories / Vancouver, BC — The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) celebrates the BC government’s announcement to implement the Declaration Act Action Plan to fulfil the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) commitments.
This historic announcement further bolsters the provincial governments’ efforts in reconciling with Indigenous Peoples in BC. Premier John Horgan took an empowering step in November 2019 by adopting the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) into law, making BC the first Canadian jurisdiction to implement the UN Declaration through legislation.
The plan outlines 89 measurable actions every ministry in the BC government will undertake to create a more inclusive province for all Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia. Indigenous leadership and meaningful collaboration outlined in the plan supports a bright oath for lands and water conservation. Created in consultation with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples, the plan claims to reflect the priorities and aspirations of all Indigenous Peoples living in BC.
“This important announcement ushers in renewed hope for Indigenous communities in British Columbia, knowing that the provincial government is taking a step in the right direction to correct historical injustices, facilitate self-determination, and ensure Indigenous Territories are brimming with healthy landscapes, waters, and biodiversity. These places have been thriving for millennia under Indigenous stewardship,” says Kevin Barlow, Executive Director of CPAWS-BC. “We hope that this significant step-change also looks to fast track conservation projects on the ground and in the ocean, while recognizing unilaterally-declared Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) as part of this reconciliatory action plan.”
We acknowledge that reconciliation and decolonization is an ongoing process that requires all of us to be actively involved. As we work toward the protection of diverse ecosystems, CPAWS-BC will do so in the spirit of decolonization, recognizing the essential leadership of the Indigenous stewards who have cared for these lands and waters since time immemorial. We are committed to deepening our relationships with Indigenous partners and we recognize that it is our responsibility to support Indigenous Peoples to safeguard their land and water.
As a team, we are advancing awareness, knowledge, and capacity on our staff and board by providing cultural competency learning opportunities and workshops with Indigenous speakers, Elders, storytellers, and facilitators.
CPAWS-BC: BC Government’s Historic Action Plan Signals Path for More Indigenous Reconciliation, Two Years Since Adoption of Indigenous Rights Act
April 12, 2022,
Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories / Vancouver, BC — The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) celebrates the BC government’s announcement to implement the Declaration Act Action Plan to fulfil the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) commitments.
This historic announcement further bolsters the provincial governments’ efforts in reconciling with Indigenous Peoples in BC. Premier John Horgan took an empowering step in November 2019 by adopting the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) into law, making BC the first Canadian jurisdiction to implement the UN Declaration through legislation.
The plan outlines 89 measurable actions every ministry in the BC government will undertake to create a more inclusive province for all Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia. Indigenous leadership and meaningful collaboration outlined in the plan supports a bright oath for lands and water conservation. Created in consultation with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples, the plan claims to reflect the priorities and aspirations of all Indigenous Peoples living in BC.
“This important announcement ushers in renewed hope for Indigenous communities in British Columbia, knowing that the provincial government is taking a step in the right direction to correct historical injustices, facilitate self-determination, and ensure Indigenous Territories are brimming with healthy landscapes, waters, and biodiversity. These places have been thriving for millennia under Indigenous stewardship,” says Kevin Barlow, Executive Director of CPAWS-BC. “We hope that this significant step-change also looks to fast track conservation projects on the ground and in the ocean, while recognizing unilaterally-declared Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) as part of this reconciliatory action plan.”
We acknowledge that reconciliation and decolonization is an ongoing process that requires all of us to be actively involved. As we work toward the protection of diverse ecosystems, CPAWS-BC will do so in the spirit of decolonization, recognizing the essential leadership of the Indigenous stewards who have cared for these lands and waters since time immemorial. We are committed to deepening our relationships with Indigenous partners and we recognize that it is our responsibility to support Indigenous Peoples to safeguard their land and water.
As a team, we are advancing awareness, knowledge, and capacity on our staff and board by providing cultural competency learning opportunities and workshops with Indigenous speakers, Elders, storytellers, and facilitators.
Report: BC government is putting nature at risk by labelling lands open for industrial development as “protected”
The province’s rich biodiversity is in danger without government action, a new report from CPAWS-BC and Ecojustice reveals
Traditional unceded Coast Salish Territory / Vancouver, BC – A new report from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) and Ecojustice exposes troubling flaws in BC’s accounting for its protected and conserved areas.
Right now, 15.5 per cent of the province’s landbase is protected in robust designations such as provincial parks and conservancies. However, the BC government has been reporting an additional four per cent as “other conserved” areas for a claimed total of 19.5 per cent. Unfortunately, BC’s claimed other conserved areas do not meet Canadian standards. On paper, this additional four per cent promotes BC’s progress towards Canada’s goal of protecting 25 per cent of lands and waters by 2025, but these designations fail at what they’re meant to do: defend biodiversity.
“Biodiversity is the backbone that our economy, health, and climate resiliency are built upon,” says Tori Ball, Terrestrial Conservation Manager (Acting) at CPAWS-BC. “The world is driving towards ambitious biodiversity conservation targets right now. We need to ensure that all the tools in our toolbox, including other conserved areas, will deliver on our shared goal to protect biodiversity.”
The report provides examples of these faulty designations, including Wildland Zones—some of which are in southern BC’s renowned Sea-to-Sky area. Though these places are managed with conservation in mind, they still permit mining, oil, gas, and other industrial activity that harms at-risk species like grizzly bears, marbled murrelets and spotted owls. According to the international and Canadian standards that BC has adopted, harmful industrial activities must be prohibited in all areas set aside for conservation.
“The BC government is misleading the public into thinking biodiversity is protected in large areas of the province when in fact, it is not,” says Sean Nixon, lawyer at Ecojustice. “The province still allows harmful industrial activities like logging, oil and gas, and mining in BC’s ‘conserved’ areas, which threatens wildlife and natural habitats. BC needs to change its flawed accounting to avoid undermining its present and future conservation efforts.”
How BC can clean up its protected area accounting and conserve 25% of its landbase by 2025: 1. Remove BC’s claimed “other conserved” areas from Canada’s protected area database. Protected areas are meant to safeguard ecosystems and the species they contain. When areas are included in protected area totals that don’t actually accomplish this, it artificially inflates the province’s estimates of its protected land and stunts support for protected area expansion, including Indigenous-led conservation proposals. 2. Upgrade the protection in other conserved areas to match international and Canadian standards. Depending on the area, this could include creating firm boundaries, barring industrial activity that harms biodiversity, and ensuring protection is long-term. 3. Invest in legislated protected areas and support Indigenous-led conservation proposals. Dozens of proposals from First Nations have been put forward to protect natural and cultural values. Supporting these proposals would advance the government’s goals to conserve biodiversity and further reconciliation.
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For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:
About CPAWS-BC and Ecojustice The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) is part of one of Canada’s oldest non-profit conservation groups. We protect wilderness in every corner of BC and deep into the ocean. We have been defending BC since 1978, and are dedicated to keeping BC’s natural environment thriving forever. Our work to safeguard large parks, protected areas and wildlife corridors has been instrumental in protecting precious places across the province.
Ecojustice uses the power of the law to defend nature, combat climate change, and fight for a healthy environment. Its strategic, public interest lawsuits and advocacy lead to precedent-setting court decisions and law and policy that deliver lasting solutions to Canada’s most urgent environmental problems. As Canada’s largest environmental law charity, Ecojustice operates offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, and Halifax.
Right now, the BC government is claiming to “protect” nature in areas that allow mining, logging, and more. To make sure nature truly thrives for future generations—and forever—this needs to change. Read more about BC’s other conserved areas below (or read our report), and add your name to the petition telling the BC government to protect nature and clean up their protected area accounting.
Do you feel that its wrong for the provincial government to claim that areas are protected when they don’t meet the government’s own minimum standards? 78% of British Columbians would agree. Add your name to the petition telling the BC government to protect nature and clean up their protected area accounting:
For more information, please contact: Rippon Madtha Communications Manager rippon@cpawsbc.org 604-685-7445 (x23)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February, 09 2022
CPAWS-BC welcomes new land and resources ministry, hopeful for advances on reconciliation, wildlife protection, and nature-based solutions in the face of climate emergency
Unceded Coast Salish Territory / Vancouver, BC – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) is pleased to see the BC government’s announcement of a new ministry and commitment to climate action in yesterday’s provincial Throne Speech.
The new ministry has been charged with stewardship and management of BC’s lands and resources. This will include oversight of coasts, lands, rivers and mountains facing cumulative impacts from economic activity.
“We’ve seen floods, fires, and landslides in BC destroy homes and lives over the past year. As we prepare for an uncertain future, we must ensure that nature is central in our planning,” said Kevin Barlow, Executive Director, CPAWS-BC. “We are excited to work with the new lands and resources ministry—charged with developing new ways of working with First Nations and communities— to support nature while tackling the twin climate and biodiversity crises.”
In their Throne Speech, the BC government also acknowledged that the climate crisis is here now, and promised British Columbians to proactively build more climate resilient infrastructure, continue to care for BC’s forests, and implement the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
Dozens of First Nations across the province have already put forward a conservation vision for their traditional territories. As Canada and 60 other countries push towards international conservation targets, BC has an opportunity to restore its status as a global leader in conservation.
Supporting new and existing proposals for protected areas, including Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), are the right path forward to mitigating climate change, supporting reconciliation, and protecting BC’s rich wildlife and natural beauty.
“By committing to protect 25% of lands and waters by 2025, the BC government could make strides to tackle climate change, support endangered ecosystems, and advance reconciliation with First Nations,” continued Barlow. “We applaud the BC government for their commitment to a strong, resilient future and look forward to working with them as they develop strategies to ensure BC’s lands, waters and coasts are resilient for future generations.”
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For more information, please contact: Rippon Madtha Communications Manager rippon@cpawsbc.org 604-685-7445 (x23)
About CPAWS-BC:
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) is part of one of Canada’s oldest non-profit conservation groups. We protect wilderness in every corner of BC and deep into the ocean. We have been defending BC since 1978, and are dedicated to keeping BC’s natural environment thriving forever. Our work to safeguard large parks, protected areas and wildlife corridors has been instrumental in protecting precious places across the province.
For more information, please contact: Tori Ball Senior Campaigner tori@cpawsbc.org 604-685-7445 (x24)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2022
CPAWS-BC celebrates step toward protection for the Skagit ‘donut hole’
Unceded Coast Salish Territory / Vancouver, BC – After years of campaigning—CPAWS-BC is celebrating the surrender of Imperial Metal’s mineral tenures in the Skagit donut hole, a patch of wilderness between Skagit Valley and E.C. Manning provincial parks. A new agreement between the BC Government, Imperial Metals, and the Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission (SEEC) will see that Imperial Metals rescind its mining rights to the area (also known as Silverdaisy watershed), providing an opportunity for its protection.
This is a significant step towards protecting biodiversity in BC—and creating more large, contiguous, protected landscapes—as Canada pushes towards protecting 25% of its lands and waters by 2025.
“We’re thrilled that the threat of mining has been resolved in the Silverdaisy watershed and Skagit Headwaters,” says Tori Ball, Senior Campaigner with CPAWS-BC. “We’ve worked alongside an international coalition of First Nations, Tribes, and conservation and recreation organizations to halt logging and mining threats to the area. This huge success is thanks to the thousands of people who spoke up for this special area.”
The 5,800 hectare donut hole falls on the Traditional Territory of the S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), Syilx (Okanagan), and Nłeʔkepmx Tmíxw (Nlaka’pamux) Nations, who have depended upon the area’s forests and streams since time immemorial. It also provides habitat for key species like grizzly bears, salmon, spotted owl, and +200 bird species, and includes Skagit River’s sparkling headwaters and lush forests.
“The Skagit headwaters hold a special place in the hearts of many. This agreement is one more step towards meaningful, lasting protection for these waters,” says Kevin Barlow, Executive Director with CPAWS-BC. “The area holds deep cultural meaning for several First Nations, Tribes and British Columbians, with numerous species like salmon depending on the health of these ecosystems.”
This announcement comes off the heels of relentless efforts by an international coalition made up of nearly 300 conservation and recreation organizations, Tribes and First Nations, elected officials and local businesses, as well as over 6,000 individuals, who have opposed Imperial Metals’ application to mine in the Skagit.
The agreement to protect the Silverdaisy watershed and Skagit Headwaters is good news for recreation and wildlife in BC and to our neighbours to the south in Washington. We applaud the BC government and SEEC for their work to bring this area one step closer to protection.
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For more information, please contact: Tori Ball Senior Campaigner tori@cpawsbc.org 604-685-7445 (x24)
About CPAWS-BC:
The CPAWS British Columbia chapter (CPAWS-BC) works to protect wilderness in every corner of BC and deep into the ocean. We have been defending BC since 1978, and are dedicated to keeping BC’s natural environment thriving forever. Nature is BC’s best hope.
CPAWS-BC’s office is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.
In the coming months, we hope to see the BC government work closely with local First Nations to fully protect BC’s favourite donut hole. Let’s encourage them to stay on the right path!