Background

About watershed security

The Province is committed to developing and implementing the Watershed Security Strategy in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and with local and federal governments. We have also engaged with industries, agriculture, environmental non-governmental organizations and people who have varied and unique ideas on how we work towards watershed security together.

Developing a Watershed Security Strategy will happen in three stages:

1. A Discussion Paper that sets out and invites ideas about what watershed security is and how to think about it (complete 2022)
2. An Intentions Paper that turns those early ideas into potential actions for the Strategy (complete 2023)
3. The Watershed Security Strategy and implementation plan that set out how the actions in the Strategy will happen (winter 2023/24)

The work to develop the Watershed Security Strategy acknowledges that:

• The relationship between the Provincial government and Indigenous Peoples, particularly First Nations, is distinct from the government’s relationship with local governments and stakeholders and creates different legal obligations.
• People who live in and do business in a watershed are most directly affected by extreme weather events, such as drought or flooding, or from not having enough safe drinking water, pollution, or damage to rivers and lakes.
• Many people and businesses are already doing important work to protect and restore their local watersheds, and all people in a watershed have an important role in managing water. Healthy watersheds are critical for watershed security and being able to respond to change and are the foundation of a stable economy.

The Watershed Security Strategy will identify a role for everyone to contribute to the care of our watersheds.

Proposed changes

The Intentions Paper and the Discussion Paper are not the Watershed Security Strategy – they are tools used to invite discussion and do not indicate any government commitments for change at this stage.

Key themes the Watershed Security Strategy is exploring include:

• Watershed governance
• Climate change adaptation and climate resiliency
• Healthy aquatic ecosystems
• Safe drinking water
• Community and economic stability
• Improved education and knowledge

Connections to other projects

The Watershed Security Strategy will primarily focus on freshwater resources, including both groundwater and surface water. Several ongoing projects will inform the development of the Watershed Security Strategy, including:

• Development of related strategies such as the Coastal Marine Strategy, B.C. Flood Strategy, Source to Tap Strategy, and Wild Salmon Strategy (already in action), as well as the Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy.
• Work to implement the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report on improving drinking water management and source water protection.
• Ongoing efforts to modernize Land Use Planning and consider cumulative effects.
• Ongoing projects focused on governance and managing watersheds, including in the Nicola Valley, the Koksilah Watershed, the Upper Bulkley and Morice River watersheds, and the Hullcar Valley.

The Province is working to address many environmental priorities such as biodiversity, conservation, invasive species and clean energy at the same time. Government will work with others to make sure the final Watershed Security Strategy is coordinated with these priorities.