2021 Elizabeth Henry Scholarship Awarded

Congratulations to Bonny Lynn Donovan, this year’s recipient of the Elizabeth Henry Scholarship for Communities and Environmental Health.

A long-time elementary teacher, Bonny Lynn is completing a PhD in Community Engagement, Social Change, and Equity at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus.  She will be working collaboratively with Syilx First Nation communities to explore the role that the land, language reclamation, Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Elders can play in developing ecological literacy in young Syilx children. Read more.

 

Research on Fraser Canyon Slides

Current landslides in BC are a sober reminder of the serious impacts that slides can have on communities, infrastructure and transportation routes. Slides can also seriously impact waterways - such as how and where rivers flow and how passable they become following a slide. FBC is part of a project team looking into the impact of Fraser River Canyon landslides on river flows and migrating salmon. This new project will consider potential impacts of future slides similar to the 2018 Big Bar slide, which sent a large amount of rock and debris into the Fraser River southwest of Clinton and blocked fish passage.  Learn more.

FBC assists Village of Lytton

 

On June 30 a wildfire destroyed almost all homes, businesses and infrastructure in the Village of Lytton and displaced its more than 275 residents. The fire also caused devastation and forced evacuations in neighbouring communities throughout the region.

The Fraser Basin Council was invited to assist the Village of Lytton to prepare a draft Short-Term Recovery Plan to address the critical near-term needs of the Village and its residents. FBC worked with Village staff on the plan from mid-September to late October. The Village of Lytton Council approved the plan for submission to the Province of British Columbia together with a request for financial support under the BC Disaster Financial Assistance Program. The Fraser Basin Council is honoured to have assisted in this work, with support from Emergency Management BC.

For more on the short-term plan, see Village of Lytton news updates.

Energy Efficiency Day

October 6 is Energy Efficiency Day! Hats off to communities that are advancing energy efficiency – including First Nations in remote areas that are transitioning away from diesel and towards energy-efficient housing. The First Nations Home EnergySave 12-part podcast series has tips for community housing managers and individuals on maximizing home comfort and efficiency.

Missed the original broadcast? Today’s the day to check it out!

Northern BC Solid Waste Forum

The North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA), in partnership with the Fraser Basin Council, will host the first-ever Northern BC Solid Waste Management Forum on October 12 and 13, 2021 to address waste management issues, challenges and potential solutions specific to northern and rural communities.

The virtual forum will bring together waste managers, policymakers, industry professionals, and local government staff and elected officials from north-central BC communities. It's an opportunity to identify key barriers and explore possible solutions to solid waste reduction, disposal, diversion and recycling issues across the region.

Rosemary Cooper of the Share Reuse Repair Initiative and BCIT’s School of Business will deliver the keynote address on how communities can adopt a circular economy model to shape the future of waste management and encourage business innovation.     

To learn more and register, visit the Forum website.

REGISTER FOR THE SOLID WASTE FORUM

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Thanks to all who took time to come together on September 30 to reflect on the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, to honour the lost children and the Survivors of these schools, and to show support for their families and communities, both in grief and in healing. At FBC we acknowledge that Indigenous peoples have suffered deep and lasting injustices in Canada, and we are committed to doing our part to learn about and face these realities, to understand the need for truth-telling and time for healing, and to support meaningful paths to reconciliation.

Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2021 Events

New Flood Report to Support Strategic Planning

Check out the wrap-up summary + reports for the initiative Investigations in Support of Flood Strategy Development in British Columbia. FBC oversaw this initiative to gain and share a better understanding of challenges and opportunities in flood management in BC. The summary points to the value of enhanced funding, capacity and governance for flood management, including to support foundational information tools, flood management planning, emergency response planning, and implementation of flood mitigation measures.

Read the Summary

Youth Sustainability Leaders - Join Us!

Calling all youth aged 16-30 with a passion for climate action, sustainability, and community! Are you proud of where you live and have ideas on how to improve your community? Are you interested in connecting with and learning from other youth living in other regions of BC?

Join our Co-Creating a Sustainable BC initiative!

Share your ideas; deepen your knowledge on climate action, impacts, and solutions; build your networks with sustainability professionals; and collaborate on projects that address community challenges. Applications are now OPEN on our FBC youth website.