Wednesday, April 16, 2025
The First Nations Water Caucus, alongside the First Nations Fisheries Council of British Columbia (FNFC) and the Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC), has announced the first recipients of the Watershed Security Fund grants. Nearly $5 million will be allocated to 26 projects across seven watershed basins, aiming to strengthen communities’ resilience to climate change, create jobs, improve regional food security, and protect fish, wildlife, and plant habitats.
The Watershed Security Fund was established by the Province of BC on March 6, 2023, through an initial contribution of $100 million, made available as an endowment to support watershed projects through interest earned on the Fund. The Fund and the long-term entity that will hold it are being co-developed and co-governed with First Nations to create a growing, permanent revenue stream to provide long-term support for watershed projects and initiatives across British Columbia.
In the first year of the grants program, $7 – $10 million will be awarded across two grant intakes. These funds are a combination of the interest made on the initial endowment and an additional investment made by the Real Estate Foundation of BC. Watershed Security Fund stewards received many more requests than current available funds can support, making evident the critical need to take better care of watersheds in a time of continuing climate change. The Fund is vital to supporting watershed work in the province.
“This milestone of the Watershed Security Fund marks an enduring opportunity to build relationships and support shared priorities of climate resilience, reconciliation, and community and economic well-being for all of British Columbia. These awarded grants highlight incredible community-led projects that bring together diverse perspectives to advance watershed security,” said Hugh Braker, FNFC President and Co-Commissioner of the First Nations Water Caucus. We also acknowledge the many outstanding projects we were unable to fund, that highlight a great need for more funding to support this critical work around the province. As climate pressures continue to impact communities throughout the province, the need to work together in a good way to protect and restore our waters is increasingly clear.”
The Watershed Security Fund grants program aims to support work that nourishes waterways, upholds the strength of Indigenous voices and ways of being in relation to the land and water, and weaves together enduring relationships and partnerships that flow throughout and across watersheds.
“The Water Caucus, FNFC, and REFBC have worked closely to put the relationships, systems and structures in place to steward this interim fund and support the communities working to protect our waters. Through this first grants intake, we recognize a huge demand for watershed funding, particularly from work being done by First Nations. I want to commend The Real Estate Foundation of BC’s leadership for adding supplementary funding that will allow us a second grant intake this year. We are dedicated to supporting the good work to protect our watersheds,” said Stu Barnes, First Nations Fisheries Council Executive Director.
The many watershed projects applying for support reveal the significance of collaboration and reconciliation, restoring ecosystems, creating sustainable economies, and protecting the long-term health of our water systems.
“Watershed Security Fund grants will create local watershed jobs and unite communities through land and water-based stewardship, learning and knowledge sharing. As exciting as it is to announce funding for these 26 outstanding projects, 131 compelling applications were received, totalling $33 million. The first intake demonstrated the urgent need for increased watershed funding,” said Mark Gifford, Real Estate Foundation of BC Chief Executive Officer.
