Improved water security is coming to the Sunshine Coast

SECHELT, BC, Jan. 16, 2025 /CNW/ - Crucial conservation upgrades are being developed to solve the heightening water crisis due to drought on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast after an investment of more than $117 million from the federal government.

The project, led by the shíshálh Nation in partnership with the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) and with support from Heidelberg Materials, will involve upgrading the existing water treatment plant and constructing two large-scale water storage reservoirs to manage water within the Chapman Creek watershed, which currently provides municipal water to approximately 76% of the population of the Sunshine Coast.

In the past, the Sunshine Coast has implemented tough water restrictions due to extreme drought conditions. Once complete, these new reservoirs will benefit the SCRD, including the shíshálh Nation, by providing a more reliable and sustainable water supply during periods of water scarcity.

Quotes

"This transformative project will alleviate the longstanding annual water shortages facing the Sunshine Coast that are becoming increasingly severe with a changing climate. This ground-breaking shíshálh nation-led project will be built and operated in partnership with the Sunshine Coast Regional District and ensure the availability of water for more than three quarters of Sunshine Coast residents even in times of drought. I am proud that the federal government is providing a historic $117 million investment to make this essential project a reality. It is an innovative model to advance reconciliation by working together to solve one of the most pressing issues in our community."

Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to Sky Country, on behalf of the Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"We know when we work with all levels of government and partners we can improve our communities for the better. The shíshálh Nation is excited and proud to be working in partnership with the SCRD to address the ongoing water crisis. We are grateful for ongoing support from and collaboration with Heidelberg Materials, District of Sechelt, and Town of Gibsons. Climate change is impacting all of our lives and we must adapt. Through this project we are planning for future generations in innovative and thoughtful ways. We will work with climate change collecting rain during winter storms and using it in the summer – we will change with the times. Our ancestors taught us to use resources in sustainable and caring ways and we will do just that. We are grateful for the tremendous support of the Federal and Provincial governments which make historic project possible. We look forward to continuing to build a brighter future together."

Lenora Joe, Ihe hiwus (Chief) for the shíshálh Nation

"The commitment of a historical $117 million in Federal funding with Provincial support speaks volumes to the work that we can accomplish when we work together for a common good. This project will be transformational for both the Sunshine Coast Regional District as the purveyors of treated water for most of the region, as well as for our shíshálh Nation partners, whose stewardship of the land and water since time immemorial is acknowledged and appreciated. All across Canada, our communities are facing challenges that will continue to require Federal and Provincial assistance, to ensure healthy and sustainable communities for all of us now and into the future. This contribution through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) is a powerful example of the ways we can strengthen the resilience of our shared community in the face of challenges due to climate change.

Through this shared collaboration, our region is able to finally look to the long-term. Not just to the next year or the next political term, but for generations, knowing that we will have greater water security than ever before. This project is not the end of a process, but rather the first milestone in a partnership that will outlast us all. On behalf of the SCRD, I can say that we are excited to meet this opportunity head on, and we will overcome the remaining unknowns as we move forward together."

Alton Toth, Sunshine Coast Regional District Chair

"Heidelberg Materials is pleased to be a part of this collaborative solution to ensure a long-term sustainable water supply for the Sunshine Coast. The commitment of federal funds for this project is great news and we look forward to continuing to work with the shíshálh Nation and the Sunshine Coast Regional District to create a more water-secure future."

Oliver Patsch, President of Heidelberg Materials, North America's Northwest Region 

Quick Facts

• Making adaptation investments now will have major economy-wide benefits later. Every dollar that is invested in adapting and preparing for climate-related disasters can return as much as $13 to $15 in benefits.
• The federal government is investing $117,179,667 in this project through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF).
• Since 2018, the federal government has committed over $3.8 billion to the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund.
• To date, over $2.75 billion has been announced for 105 DMAF infrastructure projects that help communities better prepare for, and withstand, the potential impacts of natural disasters, prevent infrastructure failures, and help keep Canadians safe.
• On November 24^th, 2022, the federal government released Canada's National Adaptation Strategy: Building Resilient Communities and a Strong Economy. It commits $1.6 billion in new federal funding to help address both immediate and future climate risks to Canadian communities.
• As part of the National Adaptation Strategy and Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan, the federal government has launched the Climate Toolkit for Housing and Infrastructure (CTHI) initiative.
• The Climate Toolkit for Housing and Infrastructure will support the development of integrated climate-related tools, resources and services for communities through:
  • A Climate Help Desk to provide direct support to address infrastructure and climate-related inquiries;
  • A roster of Climate and Infrastructure Experts to provide access to expert advice to strengthen climate-related considerations of public infrastructure and housing projects; and
  • Climate Tools and Resources that are widely available and accessible through the ClimateInsight.ca Platform.
• Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling all requirements related to consultation with Indigenous groups and environmental assessment obligations.
• Federal funding is conditional on the signing of the contribution agreement.

Associated Links

Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/dmaf-faac/index-eng.html 

Canada's National Adaptation Strategy
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/national-adaptation-strategy.html 

Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html 

Climate Toolkit for Housing and Infrastructure
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/climate-toolkit-trousse-climat/index-eng.html

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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Sofia Ouslis, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Lenora Joe, Ihe hiwus (Chief), shíshálh Nation, 604-885-2273