Tag Archives: Sunshine Coast

Cost of Climate Change, Indigenous Nations, Water

Feds invest $117 million to protect drinking water on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

More than $117 million in infrastructure funding will be unleashed to address water woes on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast, the federal government announced on Thursday. 

The shíshálh Nation will head up the project along with the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) to upgrade the region’s water treatment plant and construct two large storage reservoirs in the Chapman Creek watershed.

Drinking water in the region, which is on B.C.’s southern coast and includes the municipalities of Sechelt and Gibsons, is under threat from a constant string of summer droughts. 

Continue reading Feds invest $117 million to protect drinking water on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast →
Animals

Roxan Chicalo: Searching for the elusive Western Screech Owl

A small group of people turned out to hear an overview of FOCI’s Western Screech Owl Project at Mansons Hall on Friday September 27, 2024. Participants listened to different owl calls, examined owl feathers and learned why putting up nest boxes is important. The speakers were the two biologists from Madrone Environmental who wrote FOCI’s final report. Cortes Currents interviewed the lead author, Roxan Chicalo, afterward.  

“What gets me up in the morning, when I’m working at these species at risk, is thinking about balanced ecosystems. Everything is working together to create the ecosystem that supports our lifestyles as humans. In my mind, every animal and plant has a role that they play,” she began.

“Screech owls are a small avian predator. They eat  anything from amphibians to small mammals to fish, insects, slugs,  all sorts  of different small animals in the ecosystem. As a predator, they  keep a check on those prey species populations so that they don’t get out of control, and they also support biodiversity. If one of these prey species booms in their populations, they might start to compete against  other populations of other animals. We might see that we’re having more extinction events.  That’s why we should care to  promote a balanced ecosystem and support that.” 

Continue reading Roxan Chicalo: Searching for the elusive Western Screech Owl →
Animals, Health

Chronic Wasting Disease reported in the Kootenay Region

On January 31, 2024, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed that two cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) have been found south of Cranbrook, in the Kootenays. ‘The first sample came from a ‘harvested’ adult male mule deer and the second from a white-tailed doe that was struck on the road. 

CWD is a highly infectious and fatal disease, which the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention states, “affects many different species of hoofed animals including North American elk or wapiti, red deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer, white-tailed deer, sika deer, reindeer, and moose.”

This is the first report of CWD west of the Rocky Mountains in Canada or the United States.  

Continue reading Chronic Wasting Disease reported in the Kootenay Region →
Weather

Dakota Ridge remains closed due to unseasonably warm weather

Editor’s note: Last Friday we reprinted an article discussing the lower snowfalls on Mount Washington and the Comox Glacier in recent years. On the other side of the Salish Sea, Whistler Blackcomb opened on November 23, 2023, but conditions are poor. Closer to Vancouver, Mt Seymour, Cypress Mountain and Grouse Mountain are all open but so far this year report poor conditions.

By Jordan Copp, Coast Reporter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

While the snow may be taking its time to reach the Sunshine Coast, forecasts suggest that this may be changing over the next week. In the meantime, the Coast’s winter playground, Dakota Ridge, remains closed.

Continue reading Dakota Ridge remains closed due to unseasonably warm weather →
Forests, Indigenous Nations

Klahoose First Nation Acquires Extensive Logging Tenure from Interfor

In late 2023, Klahoose First Nation completed a “landmark deal” to purchase a total tenure of 181,036 cubic metres of allowable annual cut (AAC), on forest lands located on the Sunshine Coast in the Nation’s traditional territory. This makes KFN the largest logging tenure holder within the Nation’s traditional landbase.

Klahoose already owned tenure of 115,000 cubic metres AAC, so this purchase brings their total allowable cut to 296 thousand cubic metres per year, or over 140 million board feet. Chief Steven Brown told reporters that “Klahoose Nation is a forestry nation. We see a bright future for forestry, and it is time for us to manage the resources in our territory so the benefits come to our members,”

Continue reading Klahoose First Nation Acquires Extensive Logging Tenure from Interfor →