ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

From the air we breathe to the ground we walk on, a healthy and sustainable environment is an important part of quality of life. A healthy environment is reflective of a healthy community.

Reclaiming and Reviving W̱SÁNEĆ Cultural Lands

Environmental sustainability

Reclaiming and Reviving W̱SÁNEĆ Cultural Lands

The W̱SÁNEĆ Lands Trust Society (WLTS) fosters environmental sustainability by restoring returned lands of great ecological and cultural significance. Early donor-advised funding from the Victoria Foundation was critical to supporting the dynamic framework of the land trust and the establishment of the stewardship endowment fund, which supports the long-term care of reclaimed lands, such as historical wetland and peat bog areas.

The WLTS supports unified land conservation to benefit all W̱SÁNEĆ People. The first parcel, a 49-acre peat bog, rich with vital plant species like native cranberries and willows used for traditional reef nets, is in the process of being restored. This “not only restores ecological balance but also reawakens a sense of responsibility and connection to the land that was historically embedded in W̱SÁNEĆ laws and culture,” shares Joni Olsen, Policy/Negotiations Manager for the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council. Indigenous youth are involved in removing invasive species and learning traditional practices to ensure cultural and environmental stewardship is passed down to future generations.

Vital signs citizen survey grade

B

Last year's grade was B

Environmental sustainability

Vital signs citizen survey grade

B
Sustainable Development Targets

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TARGETS

SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL

Solid waste disposal rate (kilograms per person)

382CRD 2023

405CRD 2022

506BC 2021

350BC Target

SOURCE: CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT 

SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES

The Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) that frequent the Salish Sea are an extended family comprised of three pods: J, K, and L. The current population is estimated at 74 whales. During 2023, there was one birth in J pod, one death in K pod, and two births in L pod.

TOTAL POPULATION74

LPOD34

JPOD 25

KPOD15

SOURCE: CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH

New research shows that SRKW are experiencing “bright extinction”, the precipitous decline toward extinction that happens in full view, despite rich data on why and how to stop it. SRKW have been listed as a species at risk in Canada since 2005. The study estimates the population will decline by one whale per year for the next generation, and then accelerate rapidly toward extinction. Preventing this is possible, but with greater sacrifices in regional ocean use, urban development, and land use practices than if mitigation had started a decade earlier.

SOURCE: COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT (2024) 5:173 

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TARGETS

11.6: Reduce adverse environmental impact of cities

12.5: Reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction and recycling

14.2: Manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts

AIR QUALITY

In 2022, the region’s two monitoring stations, Victoria-Topaz and Colwood, recorded annual average concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) of 6.6 and 5.6 micrograms per cubic metre (μg̷m³) respectively, below the provincial annual benchmark of 8 μg̷m³.

6.6 µg̷m3 
Victoria-Topaz

5.6 µg̷m3 
Colwood

8 µg̷m3
  Provincial Annual Benchmark

In 2022, due largely to particles from wildfire smoke, the PM2.5 levels exceeded the provincial 24-hour benchmark of 25 μg̷m3 for

2 DAYS at Victoria-Topaz

3 DAYS at Colwood

Of all the air pollutants, PM2.5 has the greatest impact on human health. Major sources of PM2.5 in BC include:

  • seasonal wildfires
  • residential wood combustion
  • prescribed burning
  • marine vessels
  • heavy-duty diesel vehicles
  • mining and pulp and paper sectors

SOURCE: BC LUNG FOUNDATION

Last year (2023) was the most destructive wildfire season on record in BC, with over 2.8 million hectares of forest and land burned, tens of thousands of people forced to evacuate, and hundreds of homes and structures lost or damaged. Six wildland firefighters lost their lives.

SOURCE: BC WILDFIRE SERVICE

COMMUNITY IN FOCUS

KELP FOREST RECOVERY

Working closely with coastal First Nations, researchers led by the University of Victoria and Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre are regrowing kelp forests decimated by ocean heat waves and over-grazing by sea urchins. The goal is to develop an open-access roadmap for kelp recovery and add to the science for scaling-up kelp reforestation. 

In the second year of a four-year project, researchers are testing culturing and out-planting methods for two
canopy-forming kelp species and measuring their hardiness in different conditions. In kelp nurseries planted off Barkley Sound and Hornby Island, researchers are studying growth rates, temperature tolerance, and biomass size, among other characteristics.

The project is supported by a research grant from Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Aquatic Ecosystems Restoration Fund. 

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA