B.C. districts call for Fraser River dredging plan

A number of districts in B.C. have come together to send a joint letter to the provincial and federal government regarding dredging along the Fraser River.

Dredging is when the bottom of the waterways is dug out to remove silt build-up and also make more room related to drought-like conditions.

According to Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow, it hasn’t been done in the river for nearly ten years, after the government gave the responsibility to local port authorities.

“The situation in the local channels has worsened as each annual freshet brings more sediment down the Fraser River into the side channels. Access to many of our businesses, marinas, and float-home communities is only possible at high tide, and the safe movement of watercraft around the Fraser River estuary is being jeopardized,” the letter reads.

In a news release from the City of Delta, it says Delta Mayor Harvie, Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Laura Cassidy, Sparrow, and Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie sent the letter together.

“The letter urges the federal and provincial governments to work collaboratively with local governments and First Nations and to commit to establish a long-term strategy and appropriate resources for dredging of the lower Fraser River and its local channels,” the release reads.

Sparrow credits reconciliation efforts as the reason why these districts were able to work together on this issue.

“Ever since reconciliation has been involved in all the municipalities, and the City of Vancouver was really one that pushed the reconciliation and working together, we’ve been trying to work with the municipalities on common interests, and this is one of them,” he said.

“Reconciliations kind of brought us together, and brought a lot of our concerns about how we can spend money by working together.”