Lower Fraser Centre for Collaboration and Cooperation
Fraser River salmon are in crisis. The provincial and federal governments, operating in ministerial silos, have struggled for decades to collaborate effectively internally and externally on this issue. Meanwhile, increased funding for projects – though welcomed – has fostered a “first to the trough" mentality among NGOs, First Nations, and stakeholders who face frequent overlap and have little capacity to plan together.
There is an urgent need to return to an Indigenous-led decision-making structure equipped with the necessary management capacities: a Lower Fraser Watershed Governance and Management Regime housed house in a new Lower Fraser Centre for Collaboration and Cooperation.
Bringing together 34 First Nations, trusted NGOs, leading academics, all levels of government, industry and stakeholders under one roof, the envisioned Centre creates the physical infrastructure required to implement a First Nation-led, watershed-based governance and management regime.
Background
Opportunity
In 2023, the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance began working on plans to develop and Lower Fraser Watershed Governance and Management Regime which will put rights-holders back at the decision making table with other levels of government.
LFFA has secured funding through the Wild Salmon Resiliency Fund to develop a business case for the Lower Fraser Centre for Collaboration and Cooperation. In this initial phase, we will work with Elders, experts and knowledge holders to determine:
a Halq'eméylem name for the Center;
our current and future infrastructure needs, including office and meeting space, equipment storage and lab space;
potential building sites for the campus, ideally with access to the Fraser River
a phased approach to building, with cost projections.