Question Period Note: Big Bar Landslide

What is the status of work on the Big Bar landslide?

• Sustained efforts have been undertaken to reduce the impact of the landslide on future salmon stocks.
• Programs to support 2022 salmon migration, include extensive enhancement work and tagging and tracking operations.
• Salmon passage has been very encouraging this year; by September 4, over 1.9 million fish have migrated past the slide with 80,000 to 100,000 migrating past each day in early September.
• Work is underway to determine a long-term solution for ensuring fish passage at Big Bar.

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) was notified of a landslide near Big Bar Creek, British Columbia (BC) on June 23, 2019, and investigated this remote area of the Fraser River on June 25. The Big Bar incident command post was established on June 29 in Lillooet, BC with experts and response specialists from the Government of Canada, the Province of BC and First Nations.
• Big bar landslide investments have included a $188.8 million contract to Peter Kiewit & Sons ULC, for the design and construction of a permanent fishway; however, construction was halted due to safety issues.
• Winter 2021: Multiple unforeseen rock fall incidents and extreme weather events impacted worker safety, disrupting projected timelines.
• Slope stability assessments concluded that the conditions are unpredictable and the installation of a permanent fishway would only be possible by 2023 or 2024 at double the cost.
• Summer 2021: DFO suspended further construction on the permanent fishway; implemented alternative fish passage systems; and partnered with First Nations on emergency enhancement programs.
• Alternative fish passage systems included an improved temporary “nature-like” fishway and a “truck and transport” program.
• Due to favourable river conditions and improvements made to the “nature-like” fishway, nearly two million salmon have volitionally moved passed the slide site in 2021; initial analysis indicates increased passage thresholds for Chinook and sockeye compared to 2020.
• Despite this success, focus remains on developing a long-term solution promptly to help vulnerable, early-migrating stocks reach their spawning grounds; planning for alternative fish passage systems and enhancement efforts are underway for the 2022 migration season in the short-term.
• Summer 2022: 1,039,324 salmon migrate pass the slide this year as of August 22, with an average of 65,000 to 80,000 per day over the past week.
• DFO, in collaboration with First Nations and Provincial partners, are pursuing a structured decision making (SDM) process to review options for a long-term solution through an analysis of gathered data.
• This process involves: In-depth review of the problem using 2021 data, redefining objectives, and a comprehensive analysis of options.
• The SDM process will take 1-2 years to complete. While preliminary options are expected to be developed by 2022, it is unclear when there will be concrete options to bring before Cabinet.

• Sustained efforts have been undertaken to reduce the impact of the landslide on future salmon stocks.
• Programs to support 2022 salmon migration, include extensive enhancement work and tagging and tracking operations.
• Salmon passage has been very encouraging this year; by September 4, over 1.9 million fish have migrated past the slide with 80,000 to 100,000 migrating past each day in early September.
• Work is underway to determine a long-term solution for ensuring fish passage at Big Bar.