WHEREAS silt, gravel and debris are accumulating in the Fraser River between Hope and Georgia Strait; AND WHEREAS there is a reduction of dredging in the lower Fraser River due to the elimination of federal funding, which when combined with the sediment accumulation is over time increasing flood levels and restricting commercial and recreational water activities along the river between Hope and Georgia Strait: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities request that the federal government work with the Fraser River Port Authority and government agencies involved in channel dredging along the Fraser River from Hope to Georgia Strait, provide them with an immediate cash infusion of 35 million and work toward developing a sustainable funding strategy for dredging of the main and secondary channels along this section of the Fraser River.
Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management Land and Water BC continues to initiate and support gravel and sand removal from the Fraser River. In so doing, LWBC will continue to develop relationships with First Nations, other agencies and local governments. As noted in our response to resolution A11 sediment removal decisions on the Fraser River are based on contemporary river management science and adaptive management principles.
Fisheries Oceans Canada Resolution B18, regarding Fraser River Dredging, seeks a large and immediate cash infusion for dredging the Fraser River. A government-wide review of programs and expenditures in 1995-96, identified the Canadian Coast Guards CCGs dredging of commercial channels to be a non-core safety activity that could be done by other authorities, if required. The Fraser River Port Authority FRPA was advised at the time that CCG would be phasing out dredging. In 1998, the FRPA received 14.5 million in federal funds, as a revenue-neutral settlement and release agreement. The FRPA has the authority to establish user fees to recover the cost of dredging. Further federal funding will not be available for dredging the Fraser River.