Fraser Valley – Invasive Species. Just drive around the Valley, especially places like Hope Slough, and you’ll see the growth everywhere.
The B.C. government is investing another $12 million to assist with the detection and removal of invasive species, as part of its economic recovery plan to support jobs and help communities cope with the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $12 million in funding will provide training and job opportunities to support the detection of new invasive species incursions, control priority invasive species throughout the province and help increase public awareness and reporting of invasive species sightings. Of that $12 million:
- $8 million will go to the Invasive Species Council of BC to provide expanded training and outreach opportunities, and to collaborate with land managers, local governments, Indigenous communities and others to detect and remove invasive species throughout B.C. over the next 15 months.
- $3 million will be provided to established invasive species management partnerships with Indigenous groups, regional invasive species organizations, local governments and others, delivered through the ministry’s ongoing funding program.
- The new funding has also provided $1 million to support planning and expanded invasive species control efforts by the following B.C. government ministries:
- Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
- Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
- Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
- Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
