British Columbia’s extensive coastline, from the Salish Sea to the Alaskan Border, supports vibrant ecosystems and many coastal communities. The coast is the vital interface between marine activities and their bases on land. Ocean-based activities contribute $21 billion annually to the BC economy and employ over 196,000 people in coastal communities.
Despite its extensive responsibilities and the sheer importance of the coast and ocean to all who live here, until recently the provincial government has had no coordinated coastal strategy to guide regulation and policy. That is why we launched a campaign with our partners at the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS BC) – Blueprint for the Coast.
Since 2019, we’ve been calling for the creation of a new provincial coastal strategy and accompanying BC Coastal Protection Act, to be co-developed with Indigenous governments and coordinated with federal and local governments, as all orders of government share jurisdiction. In 2020, the provincial government committed to developing such a strategy in collaboration with First Nations, and began public consultations to gather feedback from residents across the province.
In July 2024, after ongoing advocacy from First Nations and BC residents, the BC government released its first-ever Coastal Marine Strategy, setting a new and promising course for the coast.
West Coast continues to advocate for the Coastal Marine Strategy to be enshrined in law, for it to be implemented in alignment the with United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the associated provincial Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. We are also advocating for sufficient funding so that the strategy can deliver on its objectives.
