Welcome to the second edition of our River Report! With municipal and provincial elections coming up this month, we’re looking at who makes the decisions that shape the Elk River watershed. Read on to learn how power is divided between local and provincial governments, how growth and climate change are putting pressure on the river, and who pays for watershed protection.
Two Elections. One River.
In the next two weeks, Elk Valley residents will vote twice. On October 17th, we will elect a new mayor and council. One week later on October 24th, we cast another ballot for our Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).
But how does this division of power impact the decisions to secure the watershed’s health? Below, we break down which level of government controls what and where the gaps between them leave the river exposed.
An urgent need for watershed governance.
Right now the Elk is managed in pieces. Each town council looks after its own community. The regional district looks after rural land. The province manages water, mines and forests. The federal government protects fish. The Ktunaxa Nation holds rights and responsibilities across the whole valley. Each makes decisions within its own lines, but the river crosses them all.
True watershed governance brings those pieces together. It means planning for the long-term health of the whole watershed. It means weighing the combined effects of mining, logging, roads, and development, and sharing water data openly so decisions are better informed.
While governance sets the rules, stewardship is how we care for our watershed every day. It’s picking up garbage that isn’t yours, joining in on community weed pulls, and showing up when decisions are made.
The Elk Valley is changing fast.
Between 2016 and 2021, Fernie’s population grew 17.1%, the fastest rate in the East Kootenays. More people means more demand on our water supply, more pavement, and more runoff reaching our streams. Development is sprawling further and further into wild spaces. The Galloway Lands project was approved by the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK), which makes land use decisions for rural areas outside city limits. Upstream, Elk Valley Resources is proposing to extend the life of its Fording River Operations near Elkford through the Fording River Extension, which is now under federal and provincial review.
At the same time, climate change is bringing hotter, drier summers and more intense storms, which affect how much water flows through the river and how clean it stays. Each of these pressures is managed by a different level of government, but they all affect the same river. Understanding who decides what is the first step to making sure the Elk River stays healthy as the valley grows.
Who pays for watershed security?
Most watershed money comes through competitive grants. While restoration and monitoring take years, grants often don’t last as long. As an environmental charity we are all too familiar with these start-stop funding cycles.
Provincial funding has followed the same pattern. For years, BC funded watershed work through short programs. In 2020, the province put $27 million into the Healthy Watersheds Initiative as part of its COVID recovery plan. Groups that got funding through that initiative had to push for something more permanent. In 2022, the province added $30 million. Then, in 2023, it created the Watershed Security Fund. With $100 million in the pot, grants come from the interest the Fund earns and is managed by the First Nations Water Caucus, the First Nations Fisheries Council and the Real Estate Foundation of BC. This spring it gave $6 million to 26 projects across BC.
On the other hand, municipalities can fund projects from their own budgets, but that money competes with roads, water, and other services. Our neighbours in the Columbia Valley voted to approve a local conservation fund which is financed through an average yearly tax of just $20. The RDEK runs the fund with the Kootenay Conservation Program. It has given more than $2.8 million to local projects so far and helped to bring in $24.5 million more in matching funds and in-kind support. The fund gave $700,000 toward the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s purchase of Lot 48 at Columbia Lake. Following suit, EVR, the Columbia Basin Trust, the Province, and the federal government hopped on board to make the purchase possible. When local communities come together and commit to a reliable watershed fund, other funders follow.
Elections happen every few years, but stewardship happens every day. Whether you’re voting, asking candidates questions, or volunteering with the Elk River Alliance, you’re helping shape how this watershed is cared for and what it will look like for future generations.
Meet your candidates.
Find the candidates running in your community:
Fernie | Sparwood | Elkford
Each page lists contact information for every candidate. Reach out and ask them to sign the Watershed Security Pledge and commit to protecting the Elk River watershed for the generations who come after us.
Where can you vote?
For the provincial election, look up your candidates under the Kootenay-Rockies electoral district.
Do you have questions, comments, or ideas for future River Report editions? Email communications@elkriveralliance.ca
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING A HEALTHY ELK RIVER WATERSHED!
