Our Story Watersheds BC grew out of ongoing collaboration between the POLIS Water Sustainability Project, First Nations Fisheries Council, and the BC Freshwater Legacy Initiative. For almost a decade, these organizations have worked together toward a common vision of watershed security and healthy waters, achieved through new approaches to watershed management and governance grounded in community values and local and Indigenous knowledge. Drawing on this research and experience, these organizations identified a critical need for a dedicated resource hub to provide local leaders with knowledge, skills, and support to deliver effective watershed management and governance in their communities. Watersheds BC emerged in response to this need. Watersheds BC is supported by a core staff team and a suite of advisors who collectively bring decades of experience in water policy, law, governance, and communications to our work. We continue to draw on the expertise and networks across these organizations. We are a part of MakeWay’s shared platform which provides operational supports, governance and charitable expertise for changemakers. Lynn Valley Trail wooden footbridge. PC: Rohit D. Silva, 2020. Our VisionOur vision is healthy, secure & well-governed watersheds across BC that provide clean fresh water to people, fish and animals, now & forever, creating a foundation to support strong, vibrant and resilient communities and thriving local economies. Our MissionWe work to strengthen BC’s watershed security by equipping & supporting local people and decision makers like you with the knowledge, training and networks you need to restore and secure your home watersheds. Our PartnersWatersheds BC works closely with organizations and communities to achieve watershed security and local watershed governance. Our work on the Healthy Watersheds Initiative is in partnership with the Real Estate Foundation of BC and we recently partnered with the MakeWay Charitable Foundation to launch the Indigenous Watershed Initiative. Funders in the zodiak. Courtesy of REFBC. The Real Estate Foundation of BC is a philanthropic organization working to support land use and real estate practices that contribute to thriving, resilient communities and natural environments. REFBC has awarded more than $95 million in grants to non-profit organizations working to strengthen BC communities and protect our shared land and water. To complement its grant program, REFBC partners on projects that fill gaps in knowledge and collaboration. REFBC has demonstrated a lasting commitment to supporting freshwater sustainability, watershed governance, and community-led conservation through its grantmaking, research, and partnerships. Its strong record for excellence in grant administration, program evaluation, and cross-sectoral collaboration is why they were selected to manage the Healthy Watersheds Initiative in partnership with Watersheds BC. MakeWay is a national charity and public foundation with a goal to enable nature and communities to thrive together. They do this by building partnerships, providing solutions, grants, and services for the charitable sector across the country. MakeWay Foundation is partnering with Watersheds BC to support grant administration, regional collaboration, learning and storytelling. As a grant maker, they have demonstrated lasting commitments supporting Indigenous-led stewardship, watershed health, governance and community-led change. The unique MakeWay shared platform model is also the operational home for Watersheds BC.
