LOWER FRASER FLOODPLAINS COALITION
LFFC Statement on Release of the BC Flood Strategy
On March 21st, the Ministry of Water, Lands, and Resource Stewardship released the BC Flood Strategy. Here's our statement in response.
Lower Fraser Floodplains Forum - June 9th 2023: Our third forum brought together leadership and senior staff from 20 local governments, 14 First Nations, 2 regional governments, many provincial and federal agencies including Minister of EMCR (Ma), and Agriculture Associations to talk about opportunities, priorities, and next steps for regional collaboration on flood resilience.
Read the Full Forum Report, Executive Summary, or watch a recording of the event below
The Lower Fraser Floodplains Coalition (formerly Build Back Better Together Collaborative) is a group of experts working alongside the Indigenous-led Emergency Planning Secretariat. Our expertise ranges from floodplain management, law, ecology, and systems change with the shared goal to work towards a more principled and collaborative approach to flood resilience for the Lower Mainland.
5 Guiding Principles (Learn More):
1) Reduce risk and adapting to climate change
2) Advance reconciliation
3) Help salmon and ecosystems where they live to thrive
4) Support sustainable economies and resilient communities into the future
5) Ensure everyone is part of the solution
3 Action Areas:
1) Advocate for systemic change to the flood management paradigm
2) Convene people from across the Lower Fraser to build collaborative capacity and shared learning
3) Catalyze multi-stakeholder and multi-beneficial projects through supporting community leaders
Farmer First Nations Forum - February 14th, 2023: A gathering of 8 Ag Associations and 8 First Nations discussed their shared values and priorities for reducing flood risk. Read the report
Build Back Better Together Forum July 14th, 2022 -
Forum Report and Executive Summary
Recording of the Lower Fraser Floodplains Forum from June 9th, 2023
We are a collaborative group of B.C.-based organizations and experts with the shared goal of helping B.C.’s flood recovery and management efforts achieve the best possible outcomes. We offer support from a diverse range of interests, experience and networks, including Indigenous groups, conservationists, farmers, environmental legal specialists, researchers and natural resource professionals.
We hope to see B.C. move towards a more holistic, collaborative, and just approach to flood recovery and resilience that benefits people and other species, like salmon.
Organizations include:
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Emergency Planning Secretariat (Indigenous-led)
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UBC Coastal Adaptation Lab, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
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West Coast Environmental Law
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Ebbwater Consulting
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Sto:lo Tribal Council
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Watershed Watch Salmon Society
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Resilient Waters Project
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Floodplains by Design
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Kerr Wood Leidal Consulting Engineers
LFFC IN THE MEDIA
CBC Early Edition - November 14, 2023 - Sto:lo Nation reflects on Fraser Valley floods, two years later
Abby News - June 29, 2023 - Leaders of Lower Fraser River chart path for flood management, resilience
CBC The Current - November 25, 2021 - How Floods - and how we fight them - affect salmon
Chilliwack Progress - December 8, 2021 - Indigenous-led action plan focused on flood management for entire Lower Mainland
Vancouver Sun - May 5, 2022 - Why B.C. can't always build its way out of risks
CBC On the Coast - June 14, 2022 - Stó:lō Tribal Council Chief Tyrone McNeil joins us to discuss the Abbotsford long-term flood mitigation and the work that's needed for the region.
CBC - June 12 2022 - Rebuild or retreat? B.C. communities face tough choices after catastrophic floods
Vancouver Sun - July 13, 2022 Local governments, First Nations on lower Fraser seek regional flood strategy
Agassiz Harrison Observer - July 15, 2022 - Flood recovery forum in Abbotsford focused on ‘breaking down silos’
Narwhal - September 12, 2022 - Restoring salmon habitat could help B.C.’s flood problems
APTN - October 27, 2022 - Senate report on B.C. flooding outlines flood mitigation and infrastructure issues
Narwhal - November 14, 2022 - More dikes and bigger dams could be a multi-billion dollar mistake: here’s how B.C. could ‘build back better’
Vancouver Sun - November 30, 2022 - Still no pathway to fund $165 million flood mitigation plan in hard-hit Merritt
Tyee - December 2, 2022 - First Nations Want Overhaul of Emergency Planning and Response
Times Colonist - December 8, 2022 - Premier David Eby creates new ministry to make sure B.C. is 'ready to go' for next disaster
Build Back Better Together for Lower Fraser - June 27th Info Session
Recording of June 27th, 2022 Information Session on Build Back Better Together
WITH SUPPORT FROM
