POLIS: A Watershed Security Fund for British Columbia

POLIS: A Watershed Security Fund for British Columbia

This Watershed Security Fund Position Paper offers a look at opportunities for the provincial government to lay the ground work for protection of freshwater in communities all throughout B.C. This paper is the result of a collaboration between the POLIS Water Sustainability Project, First Nations Fisheries Council, BC Wildlife Federation, and BC Freshwater Legacy Initiative.

It was developed in support of policy makers and to promote conversations in communities around watershed protection. In this report you will find a thorough description of the rationale behind creating an annual fund, as well as a examples of activites this fund would support. In also has details related to fund structure, mechanisms and governance.

This Position Paper is in direct response to the following recommendation made by the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services’ Budget 2020 Consultation Report (August 2019),  which states that the province should “Advance water sustainability in British Columbia by providing a dedicated, sustainable, annual funding source for First Nations, local government, local watershed protections agencies and community partnerships.”

To read the full report and summary, follow the links below.

POLIS: Watershed Security Fund Summary

POLIS: Watershed Security Fund Paper