NANAIMO, BC / Unceded territories of the Snuneymuxw, Snaw-naw-as, and Stz'uminus, and Qualicum First Nations
Today, the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities passed a resolution calling on the Province to legislate the BC Coastal Marine Strategy. This resolution was championed by the District of Saanich and the City of Langford. Legislating the provincial Coastal Marine Strategy will ensure the strategy is successfully brought to life.
"British Columbia’s coast is a global treasure, vital to our environment, culture, and economy,” stated Saanich Councillor Teale Phelps Bondaroff. “By enshrining the Coastal Marine Strategy into law, we can ensure that its vision of a diverse and resilient coastal marine environment is protected for generations, regardless of shifting political priorities."
The BC Coastal Marine Strategy is an intersectional plan aiming to boost biodiversity, tackle marine pollution, and recover nearshore habitats with nature-based solutions – all the while advancing Indigenous coastal management, building up resilience to climate change, and working to revitalize coastal communities and economies. The release of BC’s first Coastal Marine Strategy in July 2024 was a significant accomplishment, but there is a need for an accompanying legal framework to see this strategy succeed within its 20-year vision and beyond.
“Legislation is key to strong, integrated coastal management,” said Erin Gray, Staff Lawyer at West Coast Environmental Law. “An accompanying legal framework will ensure the important policies outlined in the Coastal Marine Strategy are prioritized, long-lasting, and able to withstand changes in the political landscape. Without a legal framework, the strategy risks falling short of meeting its critical goals."
The BC coast is a lifeline for those who live, work, and visit. Across the province, ocean-based activities contribute $21 billion annually and directly employ 131,000 people full-time.1 Coastal communities also depend on a healthy, thriving ocean for food security, recreation, culture, and spiritual connection. A healthy coastline helps these communities mitigate the impacts of climate change by absorbing waves, reducing erosion, and providing refuge for wildlife.
“We cannot afford for BC’s Coastal Marine Strategy to fail,” added Phelps Bondaroff. “Ultimately, when our oceans thrive, so do we.”
“As a long-time Vancouver Island resident, and through conversations with people in the City of Langford, the impact of declining fish populations like salmon, polluted waters, and degraded shorelines is clear,“ shared Langford Councillor, Mary Wagner. “The Coastal Marine Strategy is a real opportunity to support my community and others across BC by making decisions now that will benefit everyone who depends on the coast.”
With the passing of this resolution at the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities, it will next be brought forward at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) in September.
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For more information, please contact:
Erin Gray (she/her), Staff Lawyer, West Coast Environmental Law
egray@wcel.org, 604-684-7378 ext. 234
Teale Phelps Bondaroff (he/him), Ph.D., Councillor, District of Saanich
teale.phelps.bondaroff@saanich.ca
*Teale est disponible pour des interviews en français
Mary Wagner (she/her), Ph.D., Councillor, City of Langford
mwagner@langford.ca
Additional resources:
AVICC resolution (see resolution R11 at pp 11-12):
https://avicc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-AVICC-Resolutions-Book_FINAL.pdf
AVICC resolution backgrounder (see resolution R11 backgrounder at pp 21-22):
https://avicc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-Resolutions-Backgrounders.pdf
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1 Big River Analytics Ltd. (2021). Economic Contribution Analysis: For the Economic Contribution of the Oceans Sector in Coastal BC. Unpublished and prepared privately for the governments of British Columbia and Canada.