Establishment of the $50M Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Fund

VANCOUVER, BC, April 23, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Society and the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced $50 million in funding to support First Nations stewardship in the Salish Sea and waters along the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Funding through the Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Fund is now available to the 33 First Nations eligible to participate in the Salish Sea Initiative (SSI) and will be administered by the Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Society (the Society) through an arrangement with Peace Hills Trust, Canada's largest First Nation-owned financial institution. The Society will manage the funds at arm's-length from the Government of Canada, supporting First Nations in achieving self-determination and independence in monitoring and addressing cumulative effects of human activities on marine ecosystems within their traditional territories.  

The administrative and governance structure for the funding was co-developed by First Nations partners and Fisheries and Oceans Canada under the SSI, which was established in 2019 to support First Nations along the Trans Mountain Pipeline marine shipping corridor in monitoring and assessing the impacts of human activity in the Salish Sea. Over the past five years, SSI funding has helped to ensure that First Nations have the capacity to collect, analyze and share relevant data and information to understand and mitigate the cumulative effects of these activities.

As the core SSI funding program draws to a close, the $50 million announced today will establish a long-term source of funding to support continued monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the cumulative effects of human activities on marine ecosystems within the respective territories of the eligible First Nations. The full funding has been transferred to the Society to realize the Nations' shared vision of working together for the benefit of community members and future generations.

The establishment of this unique funding model underscores the Government of Canada's commitment to strengthening nation-to-nation relationships with Indigenous governments and upholding the principles of the United Nations' Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action.

"Relying on the technical expertise and traditional knowledge of Indigenous communities is imperative when addressing the cumulative effects of increased human activities in the Salish Sea. Through the Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Fund, the Government of Canada is supporting 33 First Nations to conduct stewardship activities and address ongoing cumulative effects of human activities, in order to protect and preserve marine ecosystems within their traditional waters for future generations."

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"The ICWSS Interim Board acknowledges the collaborative and dedicated effort of the 33 Eligible First Nations, the Arm's Length Fund Working Group, ICWSS and DFO to reach this historic announcement. It is an important step in 'setting the table' to ensure the territorial waters, lands and resources of our Nations will be looked after to provide for all of our communities and future generations."

 Ron Frank, Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Society Interim Board Chair

• The Salish Sea Initiative (SSI) is one of eight accommodation measures established in 2019 in relation to the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project (TMX). SSI was designed to support First Nations along the TMX marine shipping corridor in monitoring and assessing cumulative effects of the project in the Salish Sea.
• The Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Society is a non-profit society that represents the collective vision of 33 eligible First Nations to work together to advance stewardship in their respective territories in the Salish Sea and the west coast of Vancouver Island. Eligible Nations can contact the Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Society for further information and to access their initial allocation of funds.
• The $50 million investment lays the foundation for long-term growth and the potential for new partnerships, to ensure that funding is available to support Salish Sea stewardship for future generations.
• The Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Fund was co-designed and co-developed with First Nations, and will be administered at arm's-length from the Government of Canada.

• Salish Sea Initiative
• Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Society ? website currently under development

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SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region