Category Archives: News

CEC to Investigate Metro’s Sewage Treatment Record

Posted on December 16, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

Help for Fraser River Sockeye: Environmental Watchdog to Investigate Metro’s Sewage Treatment Record

Backgrounder | CEC Determination
(Get Adobe Reader for PDF links)

The Commission on Environmental Co-operation announced today that it will investigate allegations regarding Metro Vancouver’s Iona sewage treatment facility, at the request of environmental groups across North America, who were asking that body to investigate Canada’s failure to enforce environmental laws against Metro Vancouver’s sewage treatment authority.

The Commission, set up under the North American Free Trade Agreement, has authority to investigate wherever a member nation is failing to live up to its own environmental laws. Fraser Riverkeeper and the David Suzuki Foundation, working with Waterkeeper Alliance groups throughout North America, filed a complaint with the Commission in April, 2010, based on Canada’s failure to enforce the Fisheries Act against the Iona Sewage Treatment Facility in the Fraser River.

“The Iona facility continues to this day to fail its toxicity tests,” said Doug Chapman, Fraser Riverkeeper. “That means that the discharge from the plant kills fish: the very Fraser River sockeye stocks whose alarmingly low numbers are currently the subject of the Cohen Commission hearings in Vancouver.”

Fraser Riverkeeper Doug Chapman is a former environmental prosecutor for the Province of Ontario, who had earlier pressed charges against the Iona plant and the governments that failed to enforce environmental standards. The criminal proceedings were subsequently taken over and stayed by the federal government, on the grounds that it was “not in the public interest” to enforce the law against this chronic offender.

“The Iona facility provides only primary treatment of sewage,” said John Werring, a biologist with the David Suzuki Foundation. “That means it’s screened and settled, but still essentially raw sewage. It robs the receiving water of oxygen, causing the fish to suffocate.” Werring provided evidence for the criminal proceedings, explaining how the Iona plant had discharged “substances deleterious to fish” into the Strait of Georgia, contrary to the Fisheries Act.

After the federal government had stayed the charges against Iona, effectively allowing it to continue to break the law, Fraser Riverkeeper prepared the complaint to the CEC as a measure of last resort. “If we are not permitted to enforce Canadian law in Canadian courtrooms, our only recourse is to look to the promises made to our trading partners when NAFTA was signed,” said Chapman. “Canada promised to enforce its environmental standards and helped create the Commission on Environmental Co-operation to oversee that promise on behalf of all partners. The Commission’s decision to investigate our complaint gives us some hope that Canada will be forced to act to protect the Fraser River and its precious salmon.” Canada has 30 days to respond to the Commission.

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Posted in CEC Decision, CEC Press

Fraser Riverkeeper in the News

Posted on December 16, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

CEC Asks Canada to Respond to Complaint about BC Sewage Plant
-Stephen Thompson, thestraight.com

Fraser Riverkeeper Scores Victory for Regulation of Sewage
-The Common Sense Canadian

The Province: Feds to loosen rules for sewage treatment

CEC Secretariat receives a submission on alleged harm to fish from sewage discharges
by CEC

Riverkeeper Doug was interviewed on May 5′s CBC’s BC Almanac regarding the CEC submission and the sewage from Iona.  If you missed the interview, you can catch him about 1/3rd of the way through on this sound archive.

The Dependent: Something Stinks in Metro Vancouver
by Matt Chambers

The Globe and Mail: Environmentalists want Investigation of Toxic Waste in Georgia Straight
by Mark Hume

Winnipeg Free Press: Ottawa Failed to Protect BC Salmon Stocks from Toxic Pollution
by Sunny Dhillon

HQ Prince George: Environmental Groups Charge Canadian Government for Failing to Protect Fraser River

CNW: International Review Sought of Canada’s Failure to Stop Toxic Sewage Discharge

The Valley Voice, Chilliwack, Pegleg Cleanup – April 18th

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Posted in CEC Press

Newsletters – Turning of the Tide

Posted on December 14, 2011 by admin| Comments Off

Holiday Newsletter 2011 – Issue 16

Best holiday wishes to all of our donors, supporters, and friends. In this issue we summarize how you’ve helped us accomplish some amazing feats this past year, including youth education, river cleanups, and continuing to ensure our water in BC is swimmable, fishable, and drinkable.

October 2011 – Issue 15

Cohen Commission re-opens due to ISA discovery, more on our Riverwatcher program, and how you can help Ottawa Riverkeeper win Big Wild Bucks.

September 2011 – Issue 14

Our September issue covers a very busy month, in which we had four great events celebrating salmon and BC River’s Day. Also, October 6 is the deadline for signing up to make an oral statement to the joint review panel coming to Vancouver next year to assess what people here have to say about the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines. Finally, there is more news on our Riverwatcher program, which is growing and had its first meeting in late September.

July 2011 – Issue 13

In our July issue we give you a glimpse of Larry McMillan, our first official Lead Riverwatcher. We hope to build our Riverwatcher network all along the Fraser and are committed to working with you to help clean up your area of the river. There’s also some exciting events coming up in September!

June 2011 – Issue 12

June means the beginning of summer, and we are promoting our new, free Swim Guide smartphone app. To help launch this great guide that shows the best places to swim in BC, we follow Bill Wittur, who is swimming the entire length of Okanagan Lake! We also share a fantastic journey with you that began with world-famous artist Daniel Dancer and ended at West Hastings Elementary School and involved 700 students, teachers, and volunteers forming a huge alevin that makes sense when seen from the sky!

Spring 2011 – Issue 11

Our 2011 spring issue of Turning of the Tide discusses our Riverwatcher program and our upcoming Earth Day Pegleg Bar Cleanup in Chilliwack. We’ve also have a new Executive Director, Karen Wristen, while Lauren Brown Hornor readies for the birth of her second child and moves to the board of directors. Fraser Riverkeeper celebrates spring, new staff, and our volunteers in this issue. We also have some fantastic new partnerships with Teva and Keith’s Alexander.

October 2010 – Issue 10

The fall issue of Turning of the Tide features an invitation to join the Paddle for Wild Salmon; information on the great summer for salmon, while the Cohen Commission moves forward;  Canadian Organic Aquaculture Standard opposition; our launch of a new Riverwatcher program;  Stand Up for Pacific Salmon (SUPS) gaining momentum, our Pollution Hotline expanding; news of recent events, including the TD Great Canadian Shoreline cleanup, our All at Once: Jack Johnson tour, and FRK’s presence and success at this year’s Mission Film Festival Opening; and also more news on our partnership with Janet Helm.

June 2010 – Issue 9

June has been a busy month at Fraser Riverkeeper.  We’ve been to Mexico and back, and out on the water here in Vancouver. June news: Jack Johnson raffle and October concert, Gulf Waterkeeper news in our “Waterkeepers around the World” feature, more on our Stand Up for Pacific Salmon (SUPS) campaign, Waterkeeper Alliance conference in Mexico, comments on the proposed Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations, and this year’s MEC Paddlefest.

May 2010 – Issue 8

We’ve had a lot going on this month, and this newsletter covers it all! Read about our submission to CEC charging Canada with failure to enforce its environmental laws, how to help with the BP oil disaster, our comments on the Canadian Water Quality Regulations, our new Stand Up for Pacific Salmon (SUPS) campaign, Lauren Hornor’s appearance on NPR to discuss SUPS, the continuation of Alexandra Morton’s Get Out Migration and FRK joining her on Mother’s Day Weekend in Victoria, Canadian Waterkeeper’s submission of Bill C-9 comments, a write-up on our successful Earth Day Pegleg Bar cleanup, and a call-out for authors to join our new Reading Series.

April 2010 – Issue 7

In this issue: Earth Day celebration and 3rd Annual Pegleg Bar Cleanup in Chilliwack, Alexandra Morton’s Get Out Migration, the Fraser River’s ran on this year’s BC’s Endangered Rivers List,  a write-up of our Reading Series launch on World Water Day, and a new URL for our new interactive map!

March 2010 – Issue 6

In this issue: World Water Day Reading Series launch at H2O Plus, Wild Salmon Circle Rallies at Olympic Games, Cohen Commission judicial inquiry and FRK’s participation, New IM Rivers Map project and Swim, Drink, Fish Guide, Pollution Hotline poster, and a special by Michael Chapman, “In Loving Memory of Jimmy Christoff.

February 2010 – Issue 5

In this issue: False Creek’s chemical contamination near Olympic Village, Board President Mark Mattson carrying Olympic torch, Rally during games to save wild salmon, and Fraser Riverkeeper’s new programs — expanded Pollution Hotline and IM Rivers project.

Winter 2009 – Issue 4

In this issue: Fraser Riverkeeper will be a participant in the judicial inquiry into missing summer wild salmon stock, and will provide evidence of municipal sewage in the river among salmon migration routes. Also are articles on False Creek Harbour Association, CTC-Germany initiative “Kanadaria”, H2O Plus, and recent events.

Summer 2009 – Issue 3

In this issue: Fraser Riverkeeper acquires a new boat, reports on the second annual Pegleg Bar cleanup and successful booth at the Vancouver Sun Sustainability Expo, discusses the Fraser River making the endangered rivers list, looks at OAG’s spring audit on fish, and much more.

Summer 2008 – Issue 2

In this issue: Fraser Riverkeeper comments on Metro Vancouver’s plans to continue to discharge sewage to local waters, concerns over gravel removal projects on the Fraser River and the very successful Fraser River clean-up at Peg Leg Bar.

Fall 2007 – Issue 1

In this issue: Fraser Riverkeeper Launches in BC!, Winning Back Canadian Waters, FR Helps Prosecute US Energy Company for Fisheries Act Violations.

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Posted in Newsletters

Art for the Sky Press: “An Alevin Sky”

Posted on June 22, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

“AN ALEVIN SKY” COMES TO LIFE

An Alevin Sky

650+ Students Create Giant Living Image of Baby Salmon

World-renowned aerial-artist Daniel Dancer, Fraser Riverkeeper  Society and Hastings Elementary School Collaborate to Create Large “Living Painting” to Celebrate Salmon

VANCOUVER, BC June 22, 2011: Artist Daniel Dancer was hoisted on a crane 85 feet in the air to photograph and film over 650 students and teachers who came together to create a huge “living painting” of an alevin, a newly hatched salmon, on the gravel field behind Hastings Elementary School.

For approximately 15 minutes of the culminating event, participants became “human drops of paint” in an image that only makes sense when seen from the sky. The painting itself was composed of the students, wearing various colored organic T-shirts, who created a 120 by 100 foot alevin.

Creation of the alevin was the culmination of an Art For the Sky residency led by Oregon conceptual artist, author and educator, Daniel Dancer. Sky Art dates back over 3,000 years. The project provided students with real life history, math, art, and conservation instruction. “The “Alevin Sky” project offered an innovative, creative way for students to learn about the ecology and cultural economy of their home.

The varied teachings of Art For the Sky help participants awaken their “sky sight”, a manner of viewing the world in a “big picture” way that grants greater access to creative thinking and problem-solving. Dancer explains, “Through working together in the creation of beautiful art, participants experience the power of collaboration and their interconnection with one another. The alevin is a gift from participants from Earth to Sky in thanks for all the blessings of life on this beautiful planet.”

With a grant from RBC’s Blue Water Fund, Fraser Riverkeeper Society brought together artist Dancer and Hastings Elementary School with the intent of inspiring artistic creativity, respect for nature and community pride.

“We wanted to create an experience that promotes students’ understanding of their connection to the Fraser River system and the viability of its salmon. We hope the project inspires the students to become conscience of their power to be stewards of their waterways,” said Lauren Hornor of Fraser Riverkeeper.  Hornor continued, “This project demonstrates to the students that they are part of something bigger than themselves, just as they are part of and connected to each other and to their natural world.”

Creation of the giant alevin was the final culminating chapter of a project where Hastings Elementary grade 1-3 students raised and then released baby salmon. Diana Bennett, a Hasting Elementary parent, explained, “It was inspiring to watch all the students in the school participate in one activity together that was symbolic of the salmon they cared for and released. It brought together students, parents and the greater community.”

The residency was paid for with a grant to Fraser Riverkeeper Society by Royal Bank of Canada’s Blue Water Fund. BC Hydro generously donated the use of the crane, and Home Depot donated mulch to help detail the field.

Dancer conducts Art For the Sky residencies worldwide.  Images of his collaborative work with schools can be viewed in the “sky gallery” on his website: www.artforthesky.com.

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Posted in "An Alevin Sky" -- Media Release

Swim Guide Media Advisory

Posted on June 9, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

Fraser Riverkeeper will host a media conference at

UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson Street, Vancouver, Room C-485

on June 10, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

Introducing:

Bill Wittur, who will challenge Okanagan Lake beginning June 17, 2011,
the second person ever to attempt to swim its length

- and -

The new iPhone application SWIM GUIDE that will track Bill’s swim and much more!
launched by Fraser Riverkeeper in collaboration with Lake Ontario Waterkeeper

- with-

Our special guest, Ann Mundigal Meraw, O.B.C., who was the first and to date, only person to swim the length of Okanagan Lake in 1958, setting world records that she holds to this day!

Contact: Karen Wristen, Executive Director
Fraser Riverkeeper

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Posted in Swim Guide Media Advisory

Press for Alexander Keith’s

Posted on May 19, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

Alexander Keith’s, which we blogged about just a few days ago, has a great new initiative that helps to support several non-profits, including Canadian Waterkeepers.

From Canadian Newswire:

Waterkeepers Canada patrols and protects more than 5,000 kilometers of shoreline across Canada.  Donations will help your local Waterkeepers protect your right to swim, drink and fish.

“Waterkeepers Canada is thrilled to have support from the well-respected Alexander Keith’s brand,” said Krystyn Tully, Vice President, Lake Ontario Waterkeepers. “This is a great promotion that allows Canadians to do what we love to do – share good beer with our friends – and then, with one click, direct donations to their favourite environmental causes.”

From Marketing Mag:

Dave Nicholls, brand manager for Alexander Keith’s, said the Green Initiative aligns well with the company’s upcoming branding campaign – which is based on the tagline “Made to share” – as well as its environmentally conscious consumer base.

“Instead of making a program that was just, ‘buy a case of beer and $1 will be donated to this charity,’ we really wanted to share the responsibility for the planet with our fans and consumers and have them participate in where that dollar amount was going,” said Nicholls.

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Posted in Alexander Keith's

Tar Sands Hearing Order Released

Posted on May 5, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

The Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Project is in the proposal stage, and would involve building two parallel 1,150 km pipelines between Bruderheim, Alberta and Kitimat, BC. The eastbound pipeline would import natural gas condensate (the chemical/petroleum based mixture used to dilute tar sands), and the westbound pipeline would export crude oil extracted from the tar sands in Alberta. This project was proposed a few years ago, but was postponed a few times before it has finally settled in application to the National Energy Board. Good news right now, for those of you who don’t like it, you can do something about it. As of today, May 5, 2011 a hearing order was issued for the project, and Canadians can:

A project advisory team is available for assistance if you need it. Toll-free number: 1-866-582-1884. Or e-mail them at GatewayProcessAdvisor@ceaa-acee.gc.ca. An independent panel, the Joint Review Panel, will be providing an environmental assessment and a regulatory process. In January of this year, they requested more information from Enbridge.

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Posted in Tar Sands Hearing Order Released

Earth Day Pegleg Bar Cleanup Results

Posted on April 20, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

On April 17th, Fraser Riverkeeper joined Woodtone, Andy Rotzetter, the City of Chilliwack, and the community in cleaning up the Pegleg Bar in Chilliwack, in celebration of Earth Day. This was our fourth annual cleanup on the bar.

We want to thank everyone for showing up in the rain, hail, and cold — with great spirits — to make this event a success! In particular, we want to thank Woodtone for their wonderful community initiatives such as the annual Pegleg Bar Cleanup and for partnering with Fraser Riverkeeper each year to organize the event. Much thanks go to Andy Rotzetter for his organization of the bins and other tools needed to get the waste moved from the bar over to the city landfill. Also, we wish to thank the City of Chilliwack for supporting this event and providing a free tipping permit. Thanks also to the Preserved Seed Cafe, Save On Foods, Chilliwack Water Store, BFI Canada, Fortin’s Hardware, Valley Tank, and United Rentals for providing in-kind donations. Fraser Riverkeeper staff and volunteers, Woodtone employees, and many others in the community were all very helpful in getting this bar cleaned up. Our appreciation also goes out to Isabelle Aube for providing the photographs, and Craig Hill of the Chilliwack Valley Voice for maintaining a media outlet for this event and our other work on the river.

Andy Rotz Disposal reported a total of 6.58 tonnes of waste collected, .73 tonnes of that being scrap metals. This brings our total 4-year waste collection to about 26 and 1/2 tonnes. Imagine every gravel bar along the Mighty Fraser with that much waste and how all of us could work together to prevent litter, dumping, spills, and other waste from entering our water.

Pegleg Bar itself is a spawning area for chum salmon, which prefer the coarse gravels found in this area of the river.  Redds have been identified at several areas around the perimeter of the Bar, and there may have been redds in Minto Channel and elsewhere in the watered areas of the Bar.

Garbage left behind in the river can have immediate consequences for wildlife, such as entanglement in or ingestion of plastics, Styrofoam, fishing line, etc.  Even small spills of oil and fuel can pollute vast amounts of water and interfere with the hatching of insects vital to the health of the river.

In the larger context, garbage left in the river can be washed out to sea, where it has particularly nasty consequences for wildlife. Some of the long-lasting plastics break down into tiny particles and end up in the stomachs of birds and animals, or are ingested by smaller organisms.  Plastics can also absorb some organic pollutants from the water, such as PCBs, DDT, and PAHs.  These may be immediately toxic to wildlife, but they can also cause hormone disruption with long-term implications for reproductive success.  Organic pollutants can bio-accumulate and be passed up the food chain to human consumers of seafood.

Both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans now contain huge, floating masses of debris, carried and concentrated by ocean currents into patches known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the Great Atlantic Garbage Patch.

Photos by Isabelle Aube

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Posted in Earth Day Pegleg Bar Cleanup 2011

BC’s Most Endangered Rivers, 2011

Posted on April 18, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

The Outdoor Recreation Council of British Columbia (ORCBC) recently listed the most endangered rivers list for 2011.Once again, the Fraser River is the 4th most endangered river due to urbanization, industrial development, and habitat loss. Of particular concerns, according to the ORCBC, are development pressures facing the “heart of the Fraser” between Hope and Mission. Mark Angelo calls this area, “one of the most productive sections of river anywhere in the world.”

Topping the list is the Kettle River, which suffers water extraction, seasonal flow flows, and high water temperatures. The Kettle is threatened by new water extractions near its source. The ORCBC states that the river needs a significant water management plan recognizing ecological limits to the amount of water that can be withdrawn.

In second place is the Sacred Headwaters; these waters nurture the source for the Skeena, Nass and Stikine — all salmon rivers. The Spatzi wilderness is home to caribou, stone sheep, grizzly bears, and wolves. Canada Shell wants to extract coal bed methane gas, a very invasive process. If this project were to be approved, wellheads, roads, and pipelines would spread across the 400,000 hectare tenure. The current moratorium on coalbed methane development in the Sacred Headwaters expires in 2012.

The complete list of endangered rivers:

1. Kettle River (water extraction, development)

2. “Sacred Headwaters” of Skeena, Nass and Stikine (coalbed methane)

3. Peace River (hydro-electric dam proposal)

4. Fraser River, “Heart of the Fraser”(urbanization, industrial development, habitat loss)

5. Kokish River (IPP proposal)

6. Morice (pipeline proposal)

7. Taku River (mining development, road proposal, leachate concerns)

8. Similkameen River (cross border dam proposal)

9. Elk River (development, increasing selenium levels, wildlife migration issues)

10. Coquitlam River (excessive sedimentation, urbanization)

11. Bute Inlet Rivers (IPP proposal)

12. Atlin River (impacts of dam and Whitehorse, Yukon energy proposal)

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Posted in BC's Endangered Rivers 2011

Teva Launches “Pair for a Foot”

Posted on March 24, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

On World Water Day this year, Teva launched “Pair for a Foot”, which will protect one linear foot of global waterways for every pair of Teva shoes and sandals sold in 2011. This long-term initiative will help protect over four million feet of global and Canadian waterways.

Teva’s campaign will support their ongoing partnership with Waterkeeper Alliance to create safe, clean watersheds. With Teva’s support, several major water-preservation projects will be kicking off in the summer of 2011, including Lake Ontario’s first beach preservation tour, Fraser Riverkeeper’s anti-polluter patrols of the Fraser River in British Columbia, and water quality sampling in the Ottawa River.

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Posted in Teva Launches "Pair for a Foot", Teva's "Pair for a Foot"