Welcome
At the Watershed Security Fund, we envision a future where thriving watersheds and the natural flow of water are of the utmost importance and water is highly valued as the sacred source of life for all living beings.
The Watershed Security Fund (WSF) supports initiatives that prioritize the health of our waterways, centre First Nations rights and knowledge, and reinforce lasting partnerships and relationships.
Watershed security is a shared responsibility, requiring everyone within the watershed to actively contribute to its care and preservation.
By investing in projects that prioritize reconciliation, collaboration, and ecosystem health, the WSF aims to ensure healthy watersheds and thriving communities for future generations.
The Rights of Water
First Nations identify a concentric kinship with the natural world, meaning that not only do both humans and other species share equal rights to clean water, but water itself carries the inherent right to be healthy.
This philosophy considers the rights of streams, lakes, elk, fish, and even insects in discussions around watershed management decisions. It considers future generations that will rely on the same life-giving water resources. Water, like all beings, has a spirit of its own.
Photo of Stella Seymour at the Xwulqw’selu (Koksilah) River/Watershed taken by Alieska Robles.
A Historic Investment
On March 6, 2023, the Province of British Columbia and the B.C.-First Nations Water Table jointly announced an initial $100-million investment from the Province of B.C. to establish the creation of an independent Watershed Security Fund (WSF).
Grants for watershed security projects are provided from the interest earned on the WSF. The initial $100-million contribution currently generates $3-5 million annually for grants and programs.
What’s New
“We aim to collaboratively develop a foundation and structure for a long-lasting watershed fund that upholds reconciliation, collaborative stewardship, and healthy relationships. Our approach will be holistic and whole-of-watershed, acknowledging water as a sacred and vital source fundamental to healthy communities, environments, and economies. As such, our watershed investments will reflect their value to all living things.”
– Lydia Hwitsum, Co-Commissioner, First Nations Water Caucus, and member of the Watershed Security Fund Joint Executive
