Question Period Note: British Columbia floods

What is the status of work to restore fishways after the British Columbia floods?

• We are continuing to support emergency infrastructure and flood protection, while also protecting and conserving fish and fish habitat.
• Flood recovery action plans have been developed in partnership with British Columbia and First Nations for the watersheds most severely impacted by the November 2021 flooding.
• We are now focusing on fish and fish habitat assessment and monitoring, to help inform restoration and recovery actions supported through the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative.

• The province of British Columbia (BC) declared a state of emergency on November 17,, 2021, in response to significant flooding throughout the province. The purpose is to mitigate impacts on transportation networks and movement of essential goods and supplies, and to support the province wide response and recovery effort. While the situation is improving, community impacts remain widespread and severe. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is working to determine the extent of damage to DFO sites if and as access restrictions are lifted, and will continue to work on assessing the impacts to salmon populations and salmon habitat.
• Damage assessments of DFO infrastructure in areas hardest hit remain an ongoing challenge due to logistical and safety concerns; most areas are closed to all but emergency services personnel. Impacted DFO facilities remain stable and are improving, although access and supply chain issues continue to be an immediate area of significant concern. DFO staff are still unable to access a number of sites to conduct assessments due to access restrictions.
• The Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP) continues to complete emergency erosion protection works and work to maintain water flows into hatcheries Impacts to First Nations and other community-managed salmon hatchery, enhancement and stock assessment infrastructure still also needs to be assessed. Significant impacts are expected to juvenile salmon and salmon eggs laid in gravel of impacted rivers and streams across the Squamish watershed, Lower Fraser River watershed and tributaries and the Thompson and Nicola rivers near Merritt. Further assessments will be conducted.

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