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Not Our Responsibility


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The Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship clarify their position on the Health and Safety of Fraser River Channels and the wildlife and people that use their critical waterways.


After two years of advocating for secondary channel dredging with WLRS, the South Fraser River Enhancement Society (SFRES) has been informed that the Ministry does not consider the maintenance of local waterways to be its responsibility. This position raises several critical questions:

  • Does this government value the health and safety of those who work, live, and recreate along these essential channels?

  • Who determines what responsibilities fall under the Ministry’s mandate?

  • And ultimately, to whom is the Ministry accountable?

The following is an excerpt from the response letter received by SFRES from Deputy Minister Lori Halls, WLRS, dated July 31, 2025.

"Side channel dredging recognize this issue is frustrating. As we discussed on our call on November 26, 2024,and I anticipate WRLS staff to have echoed in subsequent discussions, WLRS regulates parties who undertake dredging activities based on the authorities of the Water Sustainability Act. WLRS is not responsible for conducting dredging or issuing contracts to do so. Additionally, WLRS does not hold funding to support dredging programs or needs within the Lower Fraser. In discussing the matter more broadly, it is understood that no provincial funding is available to support side channel dredging this fiscal year. Minister Randene Neill continues to raise this funding issue with her federal counterparts, most recently as earlier this week."

In 2023, the Ladner Sediment Group - now the South Fraser River Enhancement Society, published a Dredging Proposal Plan. The proposal was presented to Federal, Provincial and Municipal leaders. The 4-year program @ $2M/Year would restore the Ladner channels to Coast Guard 'design depths' - safe navigation depth. See the full document


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