The Ladner Sediment Group has spearheaded the formation of a group aimed at the common goal of better management of the Fraser River.
Delta civic politicians agreed last month to sign on to the group, which aims to develop a management plan for the lower Fraser River to address a number issues, including dredging and disaster mitigation infrastructure, and to lobby the federal government for secure, long-term funding for such an initiative.
Mike Owen said the Ladner Sediment Group has written to every municipality between Delta and Hope asking for participation. So far, the group has had positive responses from three municipalities, including Delta.
"The need for urgent action and a united front lies in the significant and increasing flood risk to Fraser River communities, the federal government's commitment and pending
announcements on infrastructure spending, and given the considerable costs involved, the unworkability of the current funding formula," the group said in its letter.
The federal government has committed significant funding for disaster mitigation infrastructure through the new Building Canada Fund and the Natural Disaster Mitigation Program.
The current funding formula requires municipalities to bear one-third of the cost of a project. However, Mayor Lois Jackson said she was told at a recent mayors' meeting that with the new Liberal government the formula "is probably not on the table for the foreseeable future."
Chief administrative officer George Harvie confirmed the funding formula is being actively discussed and staff will come back to council with a report when more information is available. Owen said the Ladner Sediment Group is also in the process of speaking to B.C. cabinet ministers from the lower Fraser River area, as well as many First Nations, to see where there are common goals.
He said the group is trying to determine the challenges, as was done in the early stages of the campaign to secure funding to dredge the local secondary channels.
After years of lobbying all levels of government, the group was able to secure $10 million in funding from Delta, the City of Richmond, the provincial government and Port Metro Vancouver to dredge secondary channels in Ladner and Richmond. The dredging was completed in early 2015, however, there was little left for additional dredging as the silt begins to accumulate again.
"There are compelling reasons why the federal government should provide funding for the maintenance of the Fraser River," Sean McGill, director of human resources and corporate planning, said in a report to council.
A 2014 study commissioned by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce stated the Fraser River is the most economically significant waterway in Canada. It accounts for 10 per cent of the country's economic activity, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), and 80 per cent of B.C.'s GDP.
"The Fraser River is even more significant to Canada's economic prosperity than the St. Lawrence Seaway," McGill stated in his report.
In 2009, the Fraser contributed $4.6 billion to the national GDP compared to the St. Lawrence's impact of $4.5 billion.
"Despite this, the federal government continues to fund ice-breaking services to keep the local navigational channels of the St. Lawrence River open and safe for navigation," McGill said. "Out of a national budget of $6.9 million, 80 per cent or $5.5 million is designated for the St. Lawrence River."
Jackson said dredging and disaster mitigation along the Fraser was one of the important topics that council brought to new MP Carla Qualtrough's attention.
