səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) elders and members have seen their shoreline change over the years with erosion and flooding.
But big plans are coming to help restore and protect the Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s shoreline after receiving over $7.5 million in federal funding. The Tsleil-Waututh Nation is also contributing $2.5 million with support from the province, making a joint investment of $10.1 million.
Already, up to 13 metres of shoreline has been lost in some places, which is likely to worsen with sea level rise, a January project document states.
That erosion and flooding impacts the nation’s ability to harvest food, carry out cultural and spiritual practices, share Indigenous teachings and act as stewards for the land.
“It’s disappearing right in front of our eyes, so this $10 million is going to help create some protection right in front of our community,” said Jen Thomas, elected chief for the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
The nation's climate action and energy management team and other departments have been working on the project since 2021, studying the shoreline and talking to external biologists, civil engineering specialists and climate advocacy organizations on how to help preserve their shores.
The project will include beach replenishment, which will involve concept planning and engineering, site preparation and marine shoreline planting, a federal government news release states. There will also be work in remediating the intertidal area where the ocean joins the land between high and low tides.
Improvements will help protect the shoreline, but also promote biodiversity, restore ecosystems and help protect the nation’s shorelines from future natural disasters.
Thomas said she has seen the damage right with her own eyes. When she went out canoeing once in 2017, she heard a loud crack, which ended up being a tree falling into the water as it had no more land to stay rooted in.
Some homes on the Tsleil-Waututh Nation sit along to the shore, and higher tides are also getting uncomfortably close to the Nation’s cemetery, raising concerns that the resting place of friends and family could be disturbed.
“We don't want our loved ones to be floating away, so have to find a way to protect it, and this $10 million is going to be a huge start,” Thomas said.
The federal funding comes from the Green Infrastructure Stream part of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, helping communities be better equipped to handle climate change, reduce greenhouse gasses and support greener technologies.
“Our government is working alongside Indigenous partners to tackle extreme weather, adapt to climate change, and build stronger, more resilient communities,” said Terry Beech, minister of citizens’ services and MP for Burnaby North – Seymour in the news release.
Oil tankers and dredging in Burrard Inlet could pose risks to shoreline work, elected chief says
Thomas said the nation is grateful to receive funding from the federal government to push forward the project plan. But the elected chief worries dredging work nearby in the Burrard Inlet could necessitate re-evaluation of shoreline plans.
Dredging – the process of removing materials from the bottom of water bodies to increase depth – could soon take place in the Burrard Inlet near Second Narrows Bridge to let larger tankers go through, Thomas worries.
The digging work could change the nature of the waves and currents the Tsleil-Waututh Nation has already studied in detail in order to move the project this far.
“I don't really want to take too much away from the shoreline project, but the tankers are going to affect the project," she said. "We don't know if they're going to have to start the study all over again."
A spokesperson from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority said there is no "project and environmental review" permit application to dredge Burrard Inlet near Second Narrows under review at this time.
Any proposal for the dredging work would need to go through the permit, where it would be reviewed for potential effects on federal lands and waters, as well as on local and First Nation communities, the spokesperson said.
The port also participated in the Tsleil-Waututh Nation's shoreline adaptation working group that helped inform the climate adaptation projects the federal government is funding.
"We understand and appreciate the significance of Burrard Inlet to Tsleil-Waututh Nation as part of their traditional territory. We are in regular discussions with Tsleil-Waututh Nation to further develop a meaningful relationship and to address any concerns regarding port-related activities," the spokesperson said in the statement.
Optimism moving forward
Earlier this month, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation signed a new reconciliation agreement with the Government of Canada. The document sets out a process for future discussions and negotiations on topics of shared interest of both parties. With the freshly signed document, Thomas said she feels confident the nation will have a voice about dredging concerns.
Thomas sent a letter to North Vancouver MP and Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson asking to speak with him soon to talk about the nation's concerns.
Construction on the shoreline project could begin in the summer once permitting is approved.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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